


Steven Universe AU: Shattered Pink

by Artemis_HNR



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst and Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Humor, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rose Quartz is Not Pink Diamond, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:55:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 51,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_HNR/pseuds/Artemis_HNR
Summary: All Gems are told the story of how Rose Quartz shattered Pink Diamond. To Homeworld gems this story is one of tragedy. To the crystal gems, this is one of their most triumphant moments in the rebellion before the end of the war corrupted many of them. To Steven, this fact is just another weird dream. Thing is though. It was true. (AU)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 28





	1. Episode 0: Space Hands are Weird

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

"Hey! What about me?"

STEVEN GET DOWN FROM THERE! (Steven faceplants the ground. Cut to black.)

* * *

**_Episode 0: Space Hands are Weird._ **

Today was an odd day. I woke up. Got dressed. Talked to Pearl who definitely has the hots for my mom.

Things happened.

And now I'm currently on a ship that's crashing down onto my town from space, trying my best to not lose control of my emotions while also trying to get everyone to calm down so we don't all die. Now I just need to convince the pilot to slow the ship and steer it so it doesn't crash into my hometown...

Better start talking Steven.

"My new friend is cowering in a cell with some type of energy forcefield. I had a mini panic attack because I just saw my mom's maid vaporize her. She is now on a murderous rampage against your boss. My moms… Daughter, so I guess adopted sister? Aunt? Whatever Purple is holding back the maid from trying to destroy Rose and I have you tied up like a stuffed pig because I want OFF this falling death trap in the sky. Any questions?"

She just kept struggling against the rope I had tied around her small body. She didn't hear a word I just said.

"You Clod! Release me! Nyaaahhh"

Is she biting the rope? Wow, she is.

Okay, new plan intimidation.

"Yes, you have mentioned that term before. Clod. This means a lump of clay, dirt or an idiot. Seeing as I am neither a piece of dirt, clay, or an idiot you are wrong in all regards." I held up my pink fist to her forehead where her gem rested. "Now you are either going to help me or we all die." I raised the quivering short alien rock female thing up to my face and glared down at her.

She seemed to have a sort of second wind and even with her obvious nervousness, her voice betrayed none of her fear.

"You underestimate gem-kind you dumb clod we don't 'Die' we simply retreat to our gems!"

"Gems may not die but you're... what was it… a Peridot? I'm sure with enough force right… here. You shatter like glass." I taped her forehead with my finger and resisted the urge to actually put enough force to crack it.

The green female gasped with wide eyes. "You wouldn't dare!"

"I'm the son of that Barbaric Rose Quartz you were trying to bring in for the death of a Diamond… I've done worse before." I grinned a little in remembrance of all the crystal shrimp I crushed beneath my ball. "Who's to say I won't shatter your useless... Defenseless... little… gem right here and now for irritating me." Turning my attention back to the bound Gem. I narrowed my Fuchsia(not pink) eyes at her.

She started shaking before her high pitch voice shouted out, "Fine I'll help you! I'll help you! Please, don't hurt me!"

And now time to drive the point home. I chuckled and dropped the quivering form of Peridot to the ground.

"You better. One dumb move and I'll crush you to dust even Yellow-face couldn't piece you back together into a cluster."

The poor girl gasped as she nodded her small green head. I grabbed her neck as I loosened her restraints, sparing a quick glance through the held open doors to see the lithe form of Pearl pole vaulting over the much shorter purple-skinned girl only to be thrown back over her when a whip wrapped around her waist.

Yeah, if I wasn't trying to intimidate this green bean I would have sighed.

Once I finished loosening the restraints I felt a quick kick to my side.

The nerve of- I tightened my hand and the short girl stopped struggling long enough for me to drag her over to the counsel of this flying space hand.

Seriously though a flying space hand. What is with these Aliens.

I threw the girl into the hard pilot's seat with enough force to force a squeak from her and stop her struggling for a moment. I got in her face and yelled, "The ship is going down too fast! So fix it or ready an escape pod for us all!"

She groaned and rubbed the back of her head, "You clo…" her voice hitched in her throat when she looked me in the face. She averted her eyes

Yeah, that's right, apologize.

"I'm sorry." With the tone that I kicked her puppy, I nodded and backed off, letting her open various screens on the console in front of her.

I kept my gaze on her while she worked, daring her to attempt an escape. I noticed her eyes shift to me a few times before she gulped and continued working.

I don't like to be the bad guy, but my life is at stake here… And so is my entire city if this thing keeps dropping to them.

A few moments passed by as the lime girl flipped through menus and warnings popped up which she closed at lightning-fast speeds, then… she froze and slowly looked to me then snapped her face forward and waited.

I'm not going to like this, but... "... Why isn't the ship slowing down?"

She took a moment to breathe, probably thinking I was going to shatter her the second she said any bad news.

Seriously just out with it.

"There are anomalies detected in the multi adaptive transmitter so it is failing. I would need to readjust the mnemonic subspace amplifiers. The Directional memory log is destroyed so I would need to reroute the MK-33 collar with the interphasic subspace matrix. The MK-12 structure is failing so-"

 ** _Blaaaah_** ~ Yeah no. I'm lost. You know with all the whining she has been giving me the past few hours I almost forgot she was part of some hyper-advanced alien force. Rose and all her friends are part of this race as well aren't they.

Whatever, with all their homeworld gems vs earth gems talk. I haven't noticed a difference between them.

Both groups are bitter and angry at the other and they put me and my city at risk.

She was still chattering along about things that I had no knowledge of while waving her hand across screens.

I can't even understand the writing you Dorito!

"-Trim the plasma battle section. So… uh…" She quickly flipped through some menus and closed down alerts. I can tell she was getting more and more distressed as she kept delivering bad news. I kept my face blank as she continued her meltdown. "If they would STOP destroying the ship I could MAYBE slow us down."

Oh wow, good news.

I motioned for her to continue and she clicked a button. Suddenly all around the cockpit on all the screens, a closeup of her face flashed everywhere, "STOP FIGHTING YOU CLO-" The screens all shattered and the ship shook as I all heard the echo of some loud explosion.

The lime girl closed all the menus and dropped her head in her hands.

I'll give her a moment… okay moment over.

"How about an escape pod?" I was hopeful, cause if we can't save the city from here if we drop faster then- "The last one just got crushed by that disgusting two-faced giant you call a Garnet."

She didn't bother removing her head from her hands and just sat there, waiting for her death I assume.

Damn. Moving on, "Can you release Lapis from here? She has her water wings; she might be able to glide us down."

"That would... maybe work, but… No, the release is over by the cell bay..."

"Then we send the others. That saves us. Now can you make this crash into the water? Away from the city." Without waiting for a reply I turned to the wrestling duet, "Purple get Lapis out!" Purple slams Pearl onto her back and kicks the spear away. "Nah Dude I'm a bit busy!"

I am so not in the mood for this.

"Purple do as I say and get Lapis out!" I am totally not banking on the fact that my mom is the leader of her group to order her around, not at all.

"Can't you see I'm preoccupied with keeping Pearl from shattering your mom!" Pearl took her momentary distraction to kick out her legs onto Purple and roll to her discarded spear.

Here they are fighting each other for no reason while we are all going to die...

That does it, "S̴͙̽̆̿t̷͔͂o̷̠̅̕͝p̶̩̙͇͂̑̕ ̸̢͌͛̉f̸̡͔̈́̑í̷̺g̵̡̻͎͌ĥ̵̘͘ť̵̪͆́i̴̢͔̎̀n̷̛̙̤̓g̷͙͎̮͛̊̒!̸͍͚̂ I don't give a shit if Pearl dusts mom and throws her to the damn wind! Get Lapis out of her cell or we all will be shattered by this ship crashing! The two Giant bozos are destroying the only thing keeping us alive right now!" As soon as I started shouting Pearl collapsed to the ground rubbing her head. Purple or Amethyst as everyone else called her eyed Pearl warily before scanning the room.

While Pearl was reeling, she quickly scooped up Rose's gem off the floor and threw it to me before bolting away.

Hopefully to release Lapis and maybe prevent the two giant morons from destroying the ship.

I debated letting the cold dead heart of my mom hit the floor for a moment before reaching out and bubbling the damn thing.

I stared at the infuriating thing for a few moments.

I debated passing it to Pearl for its fate...

"You earthlings are strange to have no loyalty to your leader." Lime girl interjected.

I give a glare to her and she shuts right up again.

A loud war cry interrupted me and I snapped my head to see Pearl charging at me with her spear raised, the amount of pure rage in her eyes made me flinch. A hastily made wall of pink formed in front of her and the door. Her spear flew through the opening just before it finished forming.

Huh. So this is what it felt like to have a spear in your arm.

Breathe. Breathe. You'll be fine.

I shifted my arm and with a clang ignored the spear on the ground and focused on the Pearl who threw the spear.

I noticed instantly she was unmoving head bowed lightly with her hands shaking in some form of salute. No Idea what she was doing but, I remember Peridot doing that to her boss.

I'll deal with that spear throw later.

Maybe.

Least she calmed down.

I turn back to the Dorrito head.

"Loyalty is earned. You best remember that." She just kept working, if she heard me she didn't show it.

After a few moments of work I spared a glance at Pearl who seemed to have started muttering, rubbing her hands on the wall. I can swear her eyes are twitching…

I focused on the wall making it thicker. Deal with that much later.

Earth was growing larger in the windows. The trajectory window was still showing us land right on Beach City Hall though…

"You call her Mom. What is a Mom?"

Oh Limey wants to learn.

"You gems spring up from the dirt fully formed."

It wasn't a question, but she seemed to take that as a sign to explain to me that, "Gems are preprogrammed non-organic lifeforms. While organics are birthed from another organic. Gems are formed in Kindergartens from a precise Diamond Serum formulated to bring new life from the earth when it combines with the precious minerals of an area."

How very clinical of her.

"Right and I'm what happens when an Organic lifeform injects his precious organic material into the 'Body' of a gem which mixes together to create the non-programmed lifeform you see before you. We called it 'fluid bonding' there is also a nine-month gestation period and babies either come out of the body or are cut out like a tumor." I was being half sarcastic, I have no idea how any of this works, by all logic I shouldn't have been born unless Rose died… Which she didn't.

The green female didn't pick up on that though and pulled on her face in horror, "You willingly cut open your bodies!?"

"Yea never did find out if I was a tumor baby or not. Dad always did say one-minute mom was pregnant and then poof I was here…. At this point, I'm thinking maybe he meant that literally."

That's some food for thought.

"You know seeing as I have you as a captive audience. This ship is going to crash despite your best efforts, and we will all be shattered on impact if you can't slow us dow-"

There was an explosion in the distance.

Yeah... we are doomed if Purple doesn't get to Lapis in time.

"Why don't I tell you how I found out my mom was an alien rebel leader and I never knew… You see it all started a few months back..."

* * *

**_New AN:_** **Mark the Mark:** What? Only at chapter three and you're re-posting everything already? Yeah. With some of the notes we have, some of the writing in this chapter and the next chapter doesn't make sense with the direction of the story. I also changed most of Steven's internal dialogue to better use of the first-person perspective… Hopefully, the overall quality is better now and people will enjoy the story better :)

 **_New AN:_ ** **Artemis_HNR:** What he said.

Old ANs:

**_AN: Mark the Mark:_ **

Why are you starting a new story when you haven't updated your other one? I hear you ask.

Well Plot bunnies and I just felt like it. I should have more time to write with all this lockdown crap we are in currently.

Stay safe and happy reading folks.

 ** _AN: Artemis_HNR_** **_:_** Yes I know as my brother has stated we are starting something without finishing our previous stuff but Plot bunnies were abound with the ending of SU and we just couldn't help ourselves. As with our previous works we are going for a more serious Universe. Hope you like it ^_^


	2. Episode 1: Gem Glow.

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

"Hey, you can't keep leaving me out of this!" (Steven is rushing over carrying a burger backpack.)

"Steven. Now is NOT the time!"

* * *

**_Episode 1: Gem Glow._ **

On earth, we have these locations that are called schools. While you Gems pop out of the ground with all your knowledge pre-programmed in your head or gem. Us organic lifeforms have to learn tasks such as reading, writing, math, history that all have to be programmed the good old fashioned way. Experience. 

Sounds exhausting right?

Well not only am I organic I am also a gem. I have my own issues to deal with like things that make me different. My damn gem. See... organics grow and grow slowly so when I was younger my gem size didn't change. When I was a baby a third of my body was my gem. But that was fine, as I grew older and the gem stayed the same size.

I could live with that.

However, humans don't normally grow up with gems in their bodies. Kids began to notice it when I started going to school. They started calling me Pinky. It became my signature name in school. I went along with it for a while, and it seemed cool to have a nickname all to myself. Who didn’t want to be Pinky? It was the name of this awesome scientist on a show I watched.

But then it went further…

"Hey, gay man! How's that bellybutton of yours." 

Kevin. The snide older tween for the longest time has continued to harass me at every turn.

"I am still not gay Kevin. Leave me alone."

I couldn’t care much about it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me and all that. So I shouldn't have been surprised when instead of words they went for stones. The situation vaguely reminded me of the dreams I used to have. 

The rock blindsided me because I wasn't even looking Ȑ̴̢̠̪ö̴̻͍̈́͊͘s̸̳͔̄̅̇̐̒̃͆̓̆͒͆ę̵̳̞̝̺̜̻͗’s way.

I couldn't hear what happened after that, I just got so… Mad.

All I knew was that I saw pink. 

Some people say they see red in anger or white or black. I saw a bright fluorescent pink and the world crackled and shook. When I came too. I was in a pit and glowing... 

Bright...fluorescent...pink.

Well justifiably the school called my dad… after the cops, and I was told to wait where I was.

Like a freak.

A glowing… Pink… Freak. In a hole.

The students were whispering and pointing at me. Those intense stares boring a hole to the side of my face. I fearfully turned round and round with all the subtlety a child could muster, my breath hitched the moment I̶ ̵l̷o̸o̵k̵e̴d̷ ̸a̴t̷ ̵t̵h̴e̴ ̵m̷o̷s̸t̶ ̴f̵e̴a̷r̶f̷u̸l̷ ̸s̵e̵t̶ ̶o̸f̶ ̶e̵y̷e̷s̵ ̴I̸ ̵h̴a̴d̸ ̷t̵h̵e̸ ̵m̸i̸s̵f̴o̷r̵t̴u̴n̴e̶ ̶o̵f̷ ̵s̷e̷e̴i̵n̸g̷.̸

̷̷M̷̸̷y̷̶̸ ̵̵̴h̷̶̶e̸̵̶a̴̵̸r̷̵̶t̵̶̸ ̶̸̷t̶̶̴h̷̶̸u̶̴̵m̶̴̴p̷̷̸e̸̸̷d̵̸̸,̷̷̶ ̴̶̴a̵̵̸n̸̴̸d̷̵̷ ̴̵̷m̷̸̶y̸̴̵ ̸̸̵p̷̶̵u̷̴̸l̵̵̵s̵̵̶e̴̷̵ ̴̵̴q̴̴̶u̴̸̸i̵̴̸c̸̵̴k̷̶̷e̸̵̵n̶̸̵e̵̷̵d̷̷̴ ̷̷̴a̷̶̶s̶̵̶ ̵̸̷w̴e̷ ̵̸̷̶̵̷̵b̷̶̶̶̸̷̸o̸̷̵̴̵̵̴t̶̴̸̷̴̶̵h̴̴̶̸̸̷̷ ̶̷̷̴̶̴̵s̷̵̵̷̷̸̷t̷̸̷̸̸̶̵a̴̶̴̸̶̶̶r̵̶̶̵̵̵̵e̴̴̵̵̸̵̴d̴̴̶̷̶̷̵ ̴̴̷̵̶̸̷d̵̴̵̶̴̷̷e̶̶̴̵̵̴̶e̸̸̴̵̷̸̶p̵̸̸̸̶̶̵e̴̷̸̵̵̶̸r̵̶̷̵̶̷̸ ̸̸̵̸̵̸̸i̴̸̸̴̴̷̴n̵̵̶̵̸̶̶t̸̴̴̸̴̸̴o̶̴̸̷̸̸̸ ̶̸̸̴̴̶̴e̷̷̷̴̶̶̷a̷̸̶̷̷̸̴c̷̷̴̴̴̶̷h̶̵̶̶̶̸̶ ̴̸̷̴̶̵̶o̶̵̴̸̷̷̶t̷̴̶̴̷̸̸h̴̶̸̸̴̸̴e̸̸̷̶̸̶̵r̸̸̷̵̵̵̴'̷̴̵̵̷̷̸s̸̶̷̵̷̷̵ ̷̶̵̵̷̵̴s̸̶̴̴̸̴̷o̵̴̶̸̷̶̷u̴̵̸̵̴̸̶l̶̸̶̸̸̵̷.̶̸̴̵̵̵̷ ̷̸̸̵̵̵̴

S̵̴̵̷̷̢̱͕͈̜̆͗̈̓̿ǒ̴̶̸̷̷̺̫̳͕̻̏̂͘͠r̸̶̵̴̸͓͙̲͈̋͐̀͜͝͝r̵̸̸̷̶͚̳̱͙͙̃̔̐́̕y̶̵̸̶̴̛͕̗̫̣̪͛̑̀̇ ̷̴̶̸̵̩͚͓̞̦͐͋̂̃Ş̸̴̸̵̴̦̰͈͍̌͌͌o̶̶̶̷̶̻͔̮̣̳͆̌̀͌̕r̴̵̵̶̵͍̩͉̪̯̈́̆̈́͊r̸̸̷̸̴̥̘͉͍͇̔̿̂̑̒ẙ̸̸̷̷̴̠̪͙̠͖̍̂̇͂ ̵̶̶̶̴̨̡̝̤̞̄̅͊̍͝Į̸̵̸̶̸̻͍̪̍͋̑͝͝ͅ ̶̸̵̵̵̝̘͎̹̝͐̿̓͘͠d̷̷̴̷̴̢̢̺̖̊̂̈́͜͝ḭ̶̷̷̷̸̰̭̼̺̆̍̇̋̚d̶̵̵̵̴̡̙̹̟̟͆̅̈́͆̅ņ̸̴̵̴̷̨͙̬͚̆̋̽̆̓'̷̶̸̷̴̡̨̬̝͇̎̈̆̎̽t̴̶̵̷̵̼̖̺́̓̓͝͠ͅͅ ̴̶̶̶̶̛̭͍̱͓̓̆̐͝ͅm̶̷̶̴̸̨͍͉̱͈͆̇̔̒̓e̶̷̷̶̷͕̹̲͖͕̐̈́̋̾͆a̵̴̴̶̵̘͖͖̤̍͊͑͒͝ͅn̶̸̶̴̵̼̩̘̥͇̂̔͛͘̕ ̴̵̷̶̴̢̭͓̰̦̏̎̆̈̕t̸̷̷̷̷̤̥͚̯̟͆̑̈́̑̾ǫ̵̷̵̸̷̭͎̘̭̓̈̇̈́̚ ̷̶̵̷̷̜̫͙̪̻͐̈́͆̏͋p̷̷̸̴̶̢͖̯̼̞͊̍̔̽͘u̴̷̴̶̶̢͇̖̳͛͛̄͊̓ͅn̵̴̴̶̴͈̘͈͎̺̔́͆̐̚ç̵̷̴̵̸̛̹̩̣̗͑́͋̾h̶̸̴̵̸̡̦̥̲̭̔̌͒̍́ ̴̵̵̴̶̱̮̜͔͐̋̚͜͠͝ȳ̷̷̷̷̴̳̲̝͓͉͗̑̎͠ơ̵̶̶̴̸̠̣͙̲͍̇̐̄ů̴̶̷̷̷͉̞̪̗̈́̾̂̽͜.̷̷̵̸̸̮͍̤̙͛̑̿͑̾ͅ ̷̶̶̵̶̘̦͈̝̲̐͊͋̉̐Y̶̶̷̸̵͍̰͕̭͙̊̅̄̏̓o̵̷̵̴̷̡̻̞̭͔̒͐́͋ȕ̶̷̷̵̶̡̹̘̫͔͐͒̋͘ȑ̶̴̴̶̴͍̫͓̱͉͒̌͐͋ ̴̸̷̵̴̨͈͍̹͇̈́͋̔̓͋ṏ̸̶̵̴̷̤̘͍͚̗̓̉̕k̵̸̸̶̸͎̲̫̻͈̐̈́̂̇͘a̸̵̸̴̷͚͎͖̪̲̎̅͌̑͠y̶̷̶̷̵͚̞͉̥̎͋͑̃͝ͅ ̷̸̶̶̶̧̗̥͕̫̐͂̋͐̚r̸̷̶̶̷̦̜̗̰̜͛̌́̑̕i̸̴̸̸̴̛̫̗̗̰͇̊̈́͋̕g̸̶̶̴̷͖̞̗͓̰̑̃̽̏͑h̸̶̶̵̸̯͖̘̜͒̌̈̒̚͜t̶̸̵̸̸̢̛̜͔̪͎̊̓͝?̴̷̷̶̴̡͙͕͉̩̑̏̃̚̚

A voice cut through the whispering finally and I noticed that around me no more students or teachers. Only my father was there reaching down to me. 

"Hey, Stewball come on. I'm taking you home." My dad had pulled me up out of the pit I had dug myself in figuratively and literally.

After pulling me up to solid ground he dropped his old letterman jacket over me while the Principal stood by watching us like a hawk. 

“Look Principal Cane.” I turned to see him address the woman.

“Rebecca but I’ve been called Sugar before Mr... Universe.” She was blinking her eyes, maybe some dust got in them.She also looked to be leaning towards him a little, maybe she was a little off balanced from this whole ordeal.

“Right... Rebecca can I take him home.” my dad said uncomfortably. She shook her head before replying to him, “I can’t just let you take him home Greg an explosive went off here.” 

Dad sighed and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, “Look my son is obviously having some emotional trauma and he has a cut on the side of his head-” “From the explosive he let off.” She cut him off.

Dad took a breath and replied, “Look Principal… Rebecca Cane my son is not a terrorist nor has he ever made an explosive he's...different. I made sure information about possible situations was in his file... Steven, go over there while I handle this.” He pointed off to the side and I caught a glimpse of the Principles face redden as I stepped away.

“Right the…” As I walked out of earshot, the Pink glow was fading and my dad appeared to be getting in a fairly heated discussion. Principal Cane seemed to enjoy the talk, smiling and nodding at times. You know now that I think about it, she was probably trying to flirt with dad.

Maybe my dad will take her dancing instead of… _Her_.

It took till the second period bell for my dad to come stomping my way. Looking past him I saw the principal eyeing him with a tilted head. 

“Da..?”

“Not now Steven just get in the Van.”

My dad used to go on tours with his music but since I was born he had to settle down and get a _house_. Humans can't raise a baby in the back of a van for the most part, but it had its perks because in the summers we would go on trips and tour the country.

The ride that day was silent, not at all like the usual singing along with the radio. "When did this start Steven?" My eyes glanced over to my father confused about what he was asking about. "Well Principle Cane always seemed to look at you wh..." I trailed off when I noticed he glanced at me for a moment before looking back at the road, "I meant the glowing pink thing."

Oh. "Well… Today. Someone threw a rock at me and I just… I got so mad! It was like something inside me wanted to just punch whoever did it. I mean I can take the taunts and the name-calling, bu-" "Name-calling? What name-calling." He was concerned. "Uh- Gay, queer, fairy. You know… Name-calling."

After a moment I glanced at my dad while he was looking forward… confused?

"Wait… so you're not…"

No way… "No… I mean maybe. I don't like anyone… Wait you thought I was gay!?"

"Well, Steven if your not gay your very comfortable in your... _youness_ I mean you wore a dress and sang a song about a hot pink limousine and being famous. I was just waiting for you to come out to me." He shrugged. Shrugged!

My eyes couldn’t get any wider, "You TOLD ME TO sing that song!"

He just continued to chuckle at me, "Heh. I mean… It was a good song, but you sang it… really well. The dress and makeup were all your ideas though."

The laughter was getting to me… I don't know what came over me, the embarrassment, the chuckling… but then I saw it.

Y̶e̵l̷l̶o̶w̵ ̶w̷a̴s̷ ̶l̸a̵u̵g̴h̷i̴n̵g̷ ̵a̷t̶ ̷m̵e̷,̶ ̴t̸a̶u̴n̷t̶i̶n̷g̴ ̴m̸e̷…̷ ̸ ̵̸̶A̴̷̵g̶̴̷a̶̷̷i̷̴̶n̶̷̴!̴̸̷ My teeth were clenched so hard I felt like something inside me was shattering.

I reached to the image when his voice brought me back. "Woah stewball look at your hands!” My clenched fists were pink, so I freaked out a little and shook my hands. “Calm down a bit son... let me pull over."

Dad parked by The Big Donut as I panicked.

"Ok, so the pink glow is new. I was just messing with you. Let's take a breather alright Stewball... Why don't we go inside and get some of your favorite ice cream and… think about… maybe getting help." He was sweating a little bit.

He knew what he was suggesting and he knew what would happen.

"Steven we might need to call… your mother." He was hopeful.

"No." I was not. I rolled out the open car door and snapped it shut behind me. I heard his call to me get muffled in the car as he hurried out on his end and walked over to me.

“Look Steven. Your moth-” “I don’t have a mother!” 

We were both out of the car now and standing out in the open. I didn't care about the scene I was making. My dad was looking all around while trying to calm me down, my bright pink hair didn't care, I just wanted him to listen. "Steven...Rose is." "Rose is nothing dad. You and she can have your dates and relationship but you know full well she wants nothing to do with me. I'm a freak! I mean look at me!"

I stomped the ground and threw out my pink hands, that cracked sidewalk wouldn't get fixed for another week. 

"I'm nothing but an anomaly in her world she wants nothing to do with! So let's forget it. I get my cookie cats and… just figure this out on my own." I pushed my way to open the door, the glass on the door cracking slightly near the handle.

"Steven you know that's just not true." My dad seemed to be sweating, ignorant of the destruction I was causing. Maybe he was used to this.

"Prove it, dad. I get you want to hold out on some false hope she'll come around! But has she, EVER shown she has given ANY sort of interest to me. Birthday? Christmas? Summer? First Day of school? Bedtime stories? Camp Pining Hearts?!"

Where was she when I watched that trash fifth season!

"She lives on the damn beach and when we go I don't even get a hello from her!"

All the times we went to that moss-covered statue on the beach. Rose would launch herself at dad all happy. They would chat together a little bit before she would notice me. Dad would get all nervous, and she would ignore me in favor of taking him away to the ocean.

Then they would leave me and the tall lady, 'Garnet' would come and fiddle with her glasses while waiting with me. Just staring. An hour or so later Dad comes back, picks me up and we left no mom in sight.

"You don't even allow us to be alone with each other." With that I threw open the door and stomped into the donut shop, grinding my teeth until I was in front of my favorite freezer only to find it empty… completely empty.

Like all my hopes and dreams at that moment.

I groaned and leaned my head against the freezer. They were sold out. My sweet sweet cookie cats. The only thing that would save me from this torment I was feeling inside...

"Oh hey, Steven. Sorry buddy but it looks like they are discontinuing that brand." The manager, Sadie, commented to me from the counter.

"What but that's the best ice cream sandwich in my world! No. The Universe! MY UNIVERSE!"

Lars, who is the teenage worker there chimed in, "Tough break man no one buys them anymore. Not like they could compete with Lion Lickers." He commented while stocking the considerably larger Lion Licker themed freezer.

"Ugh...Not those abominations they don't even look like lions! They look like extras out of some Alien horror show!"

I opened one once just to see what it tasted like and the "lion" had an eye in its mouth and teeth near its ear! I dropped it without even tasting it.

"Hey now. They are actually pretty popular because of the bubble gum eyeballs."

I just grumbled at that comment.

The teenager looked over, "Look, Steven if you are that bent out of shape about it why don't you make some with your magical belly button."

"Lars, that's not funny. I'm not five."

"Hey, that was your excuse man. For the rock in your stomach right." Sadie walked over and pulled Lars into the back, "Lars, don't make fun of his gem. The back needs stocking anyway go work on that."

She came out and leaned over the counter to me, "Look Steven we are going to have to throw out the fridge and since you always come here for those, why don't you take it home with you. You know, for the memories."

I was surprised by the unexpected gift, "Oh um… Thanks, Sadie sure." After unplugging it and coiling up the wire I lifted the large freezer on my shoulder like it weighed nothing. I turned around to thank Sadie again and noticed Lar sticking his head out of the back both with looks of shock.

Not wanting to deal with Lars making fun of my gem again I just gave a short wave.

"... Well, thanks again!" I gently pushed the door open, stumbled a bit on the cracked concrete outside and marched my way over to the van.

Dad looked over when he noticed my approach and blinked, "Is that a freezer?"

"Yea Cookie Cat was discontinued, Sadie said I could keep the old freezer." I just opened the backseat and set it down inside.

"Oh, I'm sorry bud, that was nice of her though." Typical dad, always going with the flow.

"Yeah. It’s alright I'll get a new favorite ice cream eventually."

After a few moments, Dad started to drive away. The drive was silent again before I spoke, "Look. Dad. I'm sorry. I know mom hating me is not your fault. I just…" I stopped myself looking at my dad as he winced gripping his steering wheel. I may not like her but for some **_unfathomable_** reason my dad loved her and I guess I should thank him because that 'love' made me. "I don't hate you."

The drive was silent for a while again. I could tell my dad was trying to come up with something before, "Ok no. Come on I think I know somewhere we can go." Dad turned the car around and started driving us to the boardwalk and took me to an ice cream parlor.

He told me to make my order as he went to check if he paid the meter by the car.

A few minutes passed and I took a glance outside to see my dad walking back.

He looked nervous. My mind immediately jumped to the most likely conclusion.

"No...Dad...no! Come on!"

"I had to, Steven! I don't know anything about Gem stuff and your mom and her friends... They know everything."

"Everything!” My hands were shaking as my mind ran a mile a minute.

No, they do not! T̶̷̵̷̵̸̶̷̷̸̵̴̷̶̵̴̷̵̵̶̴̢̥̺̘͇͆̍̓̉̀h̷̶̸̵̸̴̴̴̵̶̸̴̸̴̴̴̴̷̵̸̴̩̟͇̝͆̂͂̉͜ơ̶̷̸̴̴̵̵̵̵̷̸̵̸̴̶̶̸̴̸̵̷̜͔͈̞̝̈̊̽͘s̸̷̵̸̵̵̷̵̶̷̶̷̴̶̴̶̸̵̸̸̷̢̜̻͉̬̐͋͝ë̷̵̵̶̴̸̷̸̴̵̶̸̴̴̴̶̷̴̴̸̴̼̩͉̻͇̽͑͑͠ ̶̸̷̷̸̸̴̶̸̵̵̶̸̸̸̶̶̴̴̷̷̮̻͖̦̦͑̾̀̆̀u̴̵̴̷̵̴̵̷̴̶̵̷̴̷̶̴̸̵̶̴̵̠̺̮̬̩̐͋̀̓͆p̶̶̵̸̸̷̶̵̷̸̴̸̸̷̵̸̴̵̶̴̵̼̭̣̯̮͆̈͑͋͘ṡ̷̴̸̴̸̴̵̸̵̶̴̸̴̴̵̴̶̶̵̵̷̹̦̦͕̅̈́̄̕ͅt̶̴̶̴̶̵̴̶̵̶̷̷̷̴̷̷̷̸̸̴̸̡̜̦̹͍̒̈́̽͘a̷̸̷̵̵̵̶̶̵̷̶̵̶̵̸̷̷̷̵̵̵̢̧̱̝̹̎̅́͆̑r̶̶̶̸̶̷̶̸̴̴̸̴̸̸̴̸̷̶̸̷̷͓̭̥̼͚̄͑̔̆t̴̸̸̴̵̴̸̸̴̴̸̸̷̷̵̷̸̴̴̶̷̨̧̼͙̱͋͗̏̃͛ ̷̵̸̷̶̷̴̵̷̴̷̸̴̷̸̶̷̸̵̸̸͍͓̻͔͙̓͆̈́͠g̸̸̵̷̵̴̵̵̸̷̵̶̴̶̴̴̶̷̶̷̷̖̺͈͇̱̽̎̿̌̇e̸̶̸̴̶̶̶̵̵̵̷̶̸̶̸̶̵̷̷̵̵̡̢̛̞͎̬̍̄̏̿m̵̷̴̷̶̸̵̸̴̶̴̷̸̸̶̶̸̷̷̶̴̳̝͈͔̝̒͑̓͛̆s̶̸̶̸̵̵̶̸̶̵̷̵̶̵̴̸̵̷̵̷̴̹͈̼̔͆̐͆̕͜͜ ̶̴̵̵̷̶̸̸̷̴̶̶̵̵̷̵̴̴̶̶̶̼͎͕͔̳́̿̈́͂̋d̶̸̶̶̴̵̵̵̴̴̶̴̷̶̵̵̴̷̸̷̸͉͕̫̥͎̽̋̀͑̐o̴̵̵̴̶̷̶̵̸̷̷̷̵̵̴̸̷̶̶̴̷̟̜͙̰̯̾̈́̍̍̈́ṉ̸̶̴̷̸̶̶̸̵̴̴̸̶̴̵̸̵̵̸̷̶̡͈͍͚̾̇́͒’̴̴̸̶̵̷̸̷̷̷̵̴̵̶̸̴̴̵̴̶̴̧̙̫̙͓̋̋̓͒͠t̶̷̵̸̷̶̴̸̸̶̸̸̸̶̸̴̴̸̶̵̸͈̟͈̫̱̄̅̂͊͝ ̶̴̷̵̴̶̵̶̴̴̷̴̸̵̸̵̵̵̷̶̴̙̰̯̳̼̐́̀̄͝k̵̷̴̸̷̸̵̷̴̵̷̷̵̵̴̴̴̷̸̸̷̤̦̰͇̦͂͒̋̂͝n̸̴̴̶̴̸̷̴̴̴̶̷̶̶̶̴̴̷̴̵̴͕̼̮͚͕̾͐̌͝o̴̵̸̸̴̸̷̵̴̶̸̶̸̴̷̵̴̶̵̵̵̻̰̘̖̲͋͆̋̊w̷̸̴̵̵̴̴̵̷̷̶̶̴̶̵̷̵̶̴̷̷̛͇͍̯͔̜̆͌͘͝ ̴̵̸̴̶̵̵̶̵̷̸̴̸̵̷̸̸̴̶̶̴̡̯̣͓͍̏̍̿̃͝ě̶̴̶̷̶̸̶̴̶̶̶̸̸̴̴̶̷̷̴̸̷̦͉̥̤̩̽̈́̑v̷̸̶̸̶̴̸̷̵̸̸̶̵̶̶̶̵̵̵̸̸̨̛̪̞͍̲̾̂̈́̄ȇ̴̶̸̶̶̶̶̴̷̴̶̵̴̶̸̴̷̶̶̴̶͕͍̯̩̮̽͐̚͠ṟ̶̸̵̶̶̸̷̵̷̴̸̷̷̷̶̷̴̶̷̶̴̡̣͙͖̒̃̿̉̚y̸̴̴̶̴̷̸̷̵̵̴̷̷̷̴̵̷̶̵̵̸̭̜͍̻̦̓̃͒̋ẗ̴̷̶̸̸̴̴̸̵̸̸̶̴̶̵̶̴̶̵̶̴̜̠͈̖̬̾̅̓͂ḫ̴̸̸̸̸̶̶̵̵̴̷̵̴̸̴̷̷̴̷̸̵͎̫̙͎́̋̏̍͘i̶̷̶̵̵̵̵̷̷̵̵̸̷̴̴̶̴̶̸̷̷͖͕͕̫̱͗̉͑͝ñ̸̴̵̷̸̵̸̵̷̴̷̴̸̵̸̶̴̷̷̵̴̺̼̩͔̄͐̅̕͜g̶̸̵̶̷̸̴̴̷̵̸̷̴̴̴̸̵̷̷̵̷̡͙̦͎̥̐̍́̍͆ ̷̵̷̴̸̶̸̷̸̶̷̶̸̴̶̶̴̴̸̷̵̖̜̭̯̟̈́̆̄̍͝Į̶̸̸̴̵̸̸̶̸̴̴̷̵̸̵̶̵̶̸̸̸̢̦̼̒̈̀̂ͅ ̷̸̴̷̷̷̴̴̵̵̴̵̸̵̷̶̷̵̶̵̶̹͕͔̟̠̊̓͗͠͝d̴̴̴̶̴̸̸̸̶̴̵̸̸̷̶̶̸̵̴̶̸̟͓̦͉̭̊̆̓͗̈́ȉ̵̵̶̵̶̸̵̴̶̵̴̵̵̸̶̷̴̷̶̸̸̧̩̣̯̉̉̈́ͅḏ̷̷̵̷̷̶̶̷̸̶̶̷̴̸̴̸̸̴̸̷̷̟̺̘͈͗̅́̈͒ ̶̶̴̶̴̵̷̶̸̶̶̶̴̵̶̵̴̴̶̸̷̡̰̻̻̒͊͘͜f̵̴̶̶̷̴̶̸̷̴̸̷̶̷̵̴̶̸̵̸̸̭̫̬͖̹̋̄̒͂̋ơ̸̶̶̵̴̷̸̴̵̴̵̴̷̴̷̴̷̵̸̵̸̟̹̻̽̍̊̔͜ͅr̵̵̸̸̸̶̴̸̶̷̸̴̷̵̶̸̷̵̴̶̷̡̘͎͎̩͆̅̀͠ ̴̶̸̶̶̶̵̵̸̷̷̶̵̷̶̷̸̸̷̶̴̺̩̪͙͎̀̊͑͆͑t̴̶̸̸̸̸̸̸̷̴̵̸̵̷̷̷̸̷̵̵̶̡̘̣̩̪̔̇̌̽̏ḩ̵̴̸̶̷̷̸̷̵̷̵̵̷̴̸̷̷̴̵̷̸̼̗̣̓̈́͆̆̋ͅe̶̸̷̷̵̴̸̴̶̸̸̴̷̷̷̸̵̴̵̴̷̜̝̭̯̺̋̊͒̓͝m̸̷̵̸̸̸̷̸̶̵̴̷̶̷̴̸̴̶̸̶̶̨͓͔̪̬͒̀͛͆̂!̸̴̴̶̷̵̴̷̴̷̷̴̶̵̴̶̵̶̶̶̵̳͓̫̼͚̓̍̃͒̓

My fists clenched to stop the shaking and my hand slammed onto my table.

“If they actually cared they would have come seen me and taught me how to deal with this. Not fifteen years later!" I shoved the rest of my sundae into my mouth and stormed outside.

Stars what is wrong with me. I usually don’t brood this much unless I’m stuck in detention. 

That room with nothing but a single-window letting the light in. Y̴̢e̴̱͆l̷̜̃l̸̘͂o̴̥͊w̴͖͠ just sitting there staring at me.

I stumbled around the nearby stands and stores.

The fact that I would have to be face to face with one of my most hated people just killed whatever mood I had. People avoided stepping in my way, a̵͎̒s̶̮̏ ̵͙̓t̵̠͛h̴͓͠ȩ̴͆ÿ̵̜ ̵̢͐s̷͠ͅh̵͖̎ō̸̼ǘ̴͜l̸̝̓d̸̺̓.̴̣͌ ̷̺̔L̴̗̈́ó̶̻w̶͔͌l̸̪͒y̵̢̾ ̴͔h̸̝̓u̶͚͐m̵̏͜a̸͇͂n̸̼̈́s̶̯̏ ̸͍̓t̵͚́h̵̞a̵̹̾t̷̘͘ ̷͔̈t̵͔̃ḧ̶͉́ë̷̘́y̴̯͠ ̶̟͛ả̷͕r̶̪e̷̺̍.̶͍̄. Wait. That's not right, I shook my head and a flash of pink caused me to notice my reflection in some glass. My skin had turned bright pink again.

I looked down and sure enough, Pink Hands.

Something snapped around my wrists.

Was that a chain- 

I yelped, and the floor met my face when the whip became taut. "What the hell!"

"Sup dude."

Looking up, a purple girl with long hair stood there cockily holding the other end of the whip. Shortly after a giant woman walked calmly in our direction with gauntlets wrapped around her forearms... and…That woman. Was next to her with a sword.

I quickly tried to sit up with my hands wrapped up and shouted, "Dad!" With my scream, my dad rushed outside, took one look around at the gathering people, and got in between me and Rose.

“Rose! What’s-” I felt a thin hand grab my shoulder and turn me around. White filled my vision as a thin woman with heterochromia red-blue eyes, leaned real close to my face, her red eye twitching as she forced my head left and right.

"Your form… It’s all wrong." Her voice was familiar, but that edge in her tone scared me, it sounded like cracking glass-her face was cracking-like glass. 

I could just faintly hear my father and Rose arguing in the background, but I was much too focused on this woman's red eye twitching rapidly as she inspected me to really care about what was being said.

The Pearl on her forehead was massive with a crack across- She pushed my head away to the side and backed away holding onto her face, was… she crying? 

I heard the sound of metal sliding and turned to see Rose crossing her arms with her sword back in its sheath.

The purple girl and the large woman, Garnet if I remember her name correctly, looking at her in confusion, or what passed as confusion for Garnet.

"Rose what is this about?" Her voice was monotone as if she was only asking that because she had to.

"She is a gem posing as a human."

"Steven? The halfling that you and Greg created? The one I watched for hours at a time while you danced with Greg?" Garnet asked with her flat tone. The way she said danced though. It sounded dirty. Like that was definitely not what they were doing with their time.

"That is not… That Thing is not mine! We only have one gem Garnet if I had birthed a child my gem would have just moved into the creature inside me. That… Cluster has her own gem."

Cluster should I take offense to that? Cluster...noun...a group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together. Cluster...Verb...be or come into a cluster or close group; congregate. Neither sounds like a bad word but she's saying I'm made up of two things? I mean Sperm meets egg but Garnet said halfling so maybe sperm meets gem.

"You know that this has never been done before."

This is all way too confusing for me. File this under Gem Logic.

"She is not my Nora!"

Nora? Dad told me that's the name they would have given me if I was born a-

I felt as if everything made sense, She hated me because I was a boy? I mean I heard of people hating people for less, but what kind of- "Whoa, dude she's glowing pink again!" The purple one called to get the others' attention. I pulled with my newfound strength and freed my hands from that whip.

The crying woman widened her eyes in surprise before… That happened. A loud crack echoed and she just started screaming and... poof. Disintegration.

Her gem. The pearl. Hit the ground and bounced up into my hands.

Amethyst stared at me in surprise but mom just growled before drawing her sword to run at me. At that moment I just wanted to protect myself and dad, so a large bubble around me and him appeared.

When Rose's sword hit the bubble it bounced off. Refusing to pop no matter how many times she swung.

Her eyes were furious and there seemed to be no slowing down in her attacks.

After a few moments, Garnet began to call out to Rose however inside the bubble I could only hear the breathing of myself and my dad. He turned to me after letting out his breath, "So… uh... Steven not to stress you out further, but how long can you hold this thing?"

"Uh, I don't know this is the first time I've ever done this, I mean I just found out I have powers today… This whole bubble thing is new..."

"Right well I need you to hold it for however long it takes for Garnet to calm down your mom."

It goes without saying, sometimes I consider my father captain obvious.

"Which hopefully will not be long."

Hopefully.

An hour later and a bit of crying and hyperventilating the novelty of the situation wore off and people stopped standing and gawking at us, eventually they only spared a glance or two, some taking selfies with their phones before continuing on their way.

I had long since calmed down, contemplating the meaning of the cracked pearl in my hand and that white girl that had it. I know I met her before, but for the life of me I couldn’t recall when. Maybe when dad dropped me off before? 

The purple girl must have gotten bored as well, because she began to push us off the boardwalk and onto the beach.

"Where are you taking us." My dad felt like asking.

"Away from humans."

"Why?"

"Honestly because I don't want to have to deal with cops. Not really what I want to do on my Monday." the purple girl with the Amethyst in her chest commented.

My pocket shook a bit as we had to start walking with the movement of the bubble, I took out the large pearl that was left of the ballerina woman. The side of the white gem had a decent sized crack along its face. For some reason, I felt bad about it. Like I was watching a friend cry in front of me and couldn't do anything about it.

Honestly, I don't know what came over me. So I just started babying it.

"It's okay little Pearl. I'm here now, Big ugly mean Rose won't shove you in peoples foreheads again." I gave it a kiss. Huh. It tasted like salt.

I felt my dad glance at my little moment and felt a bit embarrassed. I was grateful when he decided not to comment on that and instead went back to asking Purple some more questions.

Seeing the two look away I gazed in wonder back at the Pearl shaped salt rock. It should be known I sometimes don't think before I act, and so I shoved the Gem into my mouth. It was like sucking on a salt rock for a moment. The crack was especially salty and seemed to disappear as I sucked on the rock. Then the taste of salt was replaced by the faint sounds of someone crying echoing in my head. 

In surprise I almost swallowed the Pearl, but logic took over and I spat it back out into my hand.

I would not be shoving a gem in my mouth again.

Looking back at the flawless Pearl in my hand I turned it over to see the crack again, but it wasn't there... I wonder if I imagined the crack and sounds or not.

We stopped moving Purple seeming to have found a good spot to sit and watch us without people gawking at the Gems.

Another bit of time passed when Garnet and Rose walked towards us. From the look of it, it seemed they settled whatever argument they had. 

As they approached Garnet pointed Rose to go off to the side which she begrudgingly did.

Garnet strode up to the bubble and knocked on it, as if I wasn’t already giving her my focus, "Steven can you please get out of the bubble."

I was going to reply asking how exactly I was supposed to do that when Dad jumped in, "This is why I called Rose this is Steven's first day ever showing signs of being a Gem. Other than his gem belly button Steven was a normal kid."

"Well even though She-" "He! Steven is a boy." Garnet shrugged for a moment before continuing.

"Well, gems don't have a gender we just all go by she and most of us have a female or androgenous form." She lectured both of us, "Even though... ‘He’ has never shown signs of being a Gem. He has always had the abilities. He may have displayed it as hyper-intelligence and maturity, fast growth, or even healing. His physical form is his choice and is fluid." 

I barely registered the shape-shifting as I focused on the ‘healing’ part. So that is what I did to the Pearl? I turned the Pearl over in my hand a few more times.

Neat. 

Wait, I just realized. If Gems are their Gems… Then I almost ate someone?

Quickly I hide my shame in my pocket. I really hope she doesn't bring this up...

"Well not entirely he has a skeleton. He snapped his radius once and we got a full-body x-ray while we were at it. I don't think he could change his physical form by much because he has bones unlike you all." Dad replied after Garnet showed him something.

"Hmmm." Garnet smirked a little tapping the side of her glasses before continuing, "Physical form changes may be a bit different for him then but let us run under the assumption he can do everything a Gem can do."

She turned to look back to me, "Steven all of your powers and abilities come from inside you. You just need to link your mind with the energies flowing through you. The energies of all existing matter channeling the collective power of the universe through your gem." Garnet said waving her hands in a precise motion above her head which resulted in her gauntlets appearing on her hands again, I quickly raised my hands in defense thinking for a moment she would try and punch the sphere. My bubble grew spikes, forcing Garnet to throw herself back or be impaled.

She was silent for a moment before she sat back and approached the spiked bubble again.

"Alright, so we are in that reality… Steven, your powers are tied to your emotions. You just need to find your center. What makes you happy."

"What would make me happy is not being in this bubble." Thanks, dad. 

I turned to Garnet and nodded.

"Your bubble is a defense mechanism. So you probably feel threatened… Are we currently hurting you?"

"No."

"Not yet!" Purple chimed in jokingly from the side,

"Amethyst, Leave." Amethyst groaned before walking a few steps away and sitting back onto her rock.

"Are you being attacked?"

"No."

"Is there a danger outside of your bubble?"

I looked over her and when I saw Rose leaning against the wall I started to sweat and glow pink. I never did like her and apparently, my powers felt the same way. T̵̲͑r̵͕̒a̶̛͖i̶̺͝t̸̡o̴̥͛ṙ̷̞.

"Ah we have found the root of the problem: you do not feel safe with Rose. This is understandable. Just know that she will not attack you. You have my word." I looked over to Rose who for the most part seemed to be ignoring the group and was looking out towards the water.

Nodding my head I took a breath and the bubble popped. My dad patted my head and hugged me before looking at Garnet.

"Look I know that we had a deal when you all decided that I would raise him but I can't do this alone anymore." He gestured to me, "I know nothing about being a gem or how to help him if he gets stuck during one of his new...pink power fluxes. He needs real Gem Training."

"Look Greg I don't know how to train him because we…." she gestured to the rest of the Gems, "...Never had to learn. We were created with all the knowledge already programmed in us."

"Garnet, please. He's scared. I'm scared. We need help. He could seriously hurt someone if he's not careful." My dad started crying, and I just felt more miserable. I could actually hurt someone with these powers if I'm not careful. 

I̸̯̔ ̴̲̎w̸͙͂ǎ̶̝s̸̲͌ ̵̢͋f̴̭͌r̵̬͂ų̷͌s̵̰͗t̸͖̕r̸͚͒a̷͖͆t̴̝̿e̷̦͝d̸̲̑ ̴͎̉ȃ̶͜ń̴̼d̸̺̔ ̶̦͂y̵̠e̷̬͝l̵̪͝l̶̻̎ḭ̸̓n̶̟͐g̴̼͝.̷͜͝ ̶͔̓S̴͔͊o̴͙̒r̶̭r̶͕͌y̷̯̍ ̴̱̈S̸͓̑o̷͓͐r̸͎̿r̴̜͑y̴̬͒ ̷̳͆I̴̫̒ ̷͇̋p̷̤͝u̴̗͒n̵̨̆c̵̦̑ḧ̵̻́e̴͚͠d̸͉̎ ̵̥͌t̴͓̀ḣ̷̪ḙ̶̀ ̷̉͜w̷͖͌a̸̗̍l̸͓͝l̴͈̊ ̶̤͑ỉ̷̻n̴̼ ̷̲̈a̷͙̔ṇ̶̽g̵̗͛ĕ̸̟ŗ̶͘,̷̘̌ ̶̛̫s̷̛͖ŏ̷̭ṁ̶̟e̵̩͠o̴̹͠n̴̬̋e̷̳̒ ̶̏ͅg̶̢͝r̶̥̅a̷̡̓b̸̢̓b̷̖̈́e̶̥͗d̸͎͑ ̷͇̂m̶̛̞y̷̛̖ ̸͔s̴͕͛h̸̢̓ó̵͜ṳ̸͝l̶͋͜d̷̠͊e̵̮͑r̵͕̍ ̶͇͌ǎ̸̡n̷͍̏d̵̤͑ ̴͕͑I̸͝ͅ ̴̬̈́S̷̬̅ô̴͔r̸̳͛r̷̝̍y̴̼͘ ̶͈̋S̷̪͒o̴̘͌r̸̼͂r̴̯̄ÿ̴̮́ ̴̝͒p̶̉͜ǘ̸̗n̵͈͠c̷͍̅ḧ̸̪́ḛ̶̀d̷̦͌ ̵̰͝b̸̖̈ȁ̶̪c̵͙͋k̵̹͝ ̸͎̔a̸͔̓t̵̲̅ ̷̼͝t̷̙̏h̵̝̚e̵͎͋ỉ̶̬r̴̹̈ ̸̠̂f̵̮͆ȃ̶͕c̶̈́ͅë̵͚́ ̵̡ṣ̶̓h̷͎̍a̴̬͆t̶̡̊t̴̜̏ȅ̶̫r̵̤͠i̵̯͂ṉ̷̚g̸̘̀ ̸̺̈́h̷͍̆e̷̩̍r̸̟ ̴̣͒e̶̼͝ÿ̴́ͅe̵̖͋-̵͇̄ ̵̗̆S̶̝͋ö̴́ͅr̵̦̃ř̶͎ẏ̵̪ ̶̫̊S̸̜̽o̸͕̍ṙ̸̼r̵̭̍y̶̿͜

A shake of the head and I focused on Garnet turning to Amethyst. The purple skinned gem looked up to Garnet then back to Rose. "Ugh Look we will help ok. Just don't cry it makes me feel bad."

Garnet turned to Rose and spoke in a bland tone, "We will take him with us on missions he will learn on the go."

Rose took this moment to snap to attention, "No. He will not be going on missions with us."

Amethyst snapped her head over to Rose, "Why not?!"

Rose replied, "Because IT is DANGEROUS." She was looking directly at me when she was talking. She wasn't worried about my safety, she was worried I would hurt them.

Garnet had her back to me, she was staring at Rose, "He needs to be trained."

Rose replied, "And We will NOT train IT." She marched over to Garnet both of them once again staring at each other in the eyes. Garnet stood her ground for a moment before she reached up and took off her glasses. "Steven give Rose your pearl back."

I fumbled in my pocket for a moment before reaching out with the pearl, "Uhhh.. here you go Garnet." Garnet still facing Rose spoke again, "Rose, You can take back Pearl, but unless he learns to control his powers something bad will happen to the earth. Do not let all that we fought for to be lost because of some grudge."

Rose stood there for a moment digesting what she was saying before scoffing and snatching Pearl from my hands and walking off.

Amethyst waited a moment after Rose stepped out of view before whooping, "You go, Garnet! Stick it to the man! High five!"

Garnet raised a hand and let Amethyst have her moment. I just stood there with my dad looking as confused as I felt. "Ummm. Does this mean you will help me? Or what?"

They both turned to me, Garnet speaking once again, "As I explained to your Greg, I will not be able to give you a class on Gems, however, I can help explain things you discover about yourself and give you pointers on how to control them."

She lowered her glasses for a moment revealing her three eyes to me, "It's up to you Steven, to learn everything you can about yourself." before she turned and left. Amethyst turned to follow but quickly ran up to me.

"So how did you make Pearl poof like that. That was awesome!" "Um… no Idea?" "Well when you find out tell me, I need to do that to her when she comes and tries to organize my room!" and with that, she ran to the retreating form of Garnet.

We stood there for a moment before I turned to dad and couldn’t help but comment, "So… On our own again?" He nodded, wiping the last bit of tears from his eyes.

We made our way back to the car and despite all the craziness that happened I couldn't help but smile a little. Despite having no control over my own powers, nothing really changed today. 

Well besides losing out on my favorite snack in the whole world… I found myself singing the theme song wistfully.

* * *

Oohhhhh. ~

He's a frozen treat with the same great taste.

'Cause he came to this planet from outer space.

A martyr of an interstellar war.

But now he's back at your local grocery store.

Cookie Cat.

He breaks apart in your tummy!

Cookie Cat!

He's all about being yummy!

Cookie Cat!

He died too young!

Cookie Caaaaat!

Now… discontinued…

The story behind that Icecream cat never really made sense, but damn was it tasty.

* * *

**_New AN:_ ** **Mark the Mark:**

So I finally got around to finishing the edits here, I took out a bunch of things and rewrote many scenes to fit in to the overall plot we have going on better. Once again most of Steven's internal dialogue has changed to better fit the first person perspective better and hopefully it is overall higher quality… Nothing scares me more honestly than posting something crappy and calling it art. Haha. This chapter was honestly hard to rewrite and I was stumped for a few weeks on how to make it better, like. There wasn’t much I could change plot wise, other than a few moments here and there… I'll just end my rant here. 

Please review your thoughts! 

**_New AN:_ ** **Artemis_HNR:** So A good chunk of dialogue went into the bin but this follows more of Steven's perspective. For those of you who read the original bit you have a bit of a hint on Rose for the rest of you well you will find out eventually. Points to whoever comments about the mystery of the fizzled dialogue.

  
  


**_AN:_ ** **Mark the Mark:**

I tried being clever, see if you can spot my cleverness in the writing. If not, spoilers you will find out later.

This chapter could have been finished yesterday, but I was pretty sick and so was my sister, with this whole COVID thing going on I hope we all make it! If not this story might just go poof and I want to get a fanfiction story done before I die damnit! So expect some rapid-fire updates... That doesn't mean we forgot about Danny Phantom: Half Dead… We just both like this one better I think and are having more fun on it.

This story is also an exercise in myself in writing in the first person. So bear with my poor writing as I get better at it. Depending on how it goes we will probably switch back to the third person once we get to the end of season one… or catch up to the prologue of the story. Not to say every chapter will be an episode from the series because that's boring and we will more than likely be skipping a ton~ based on the AU. Anyway, I am typing a lot so just comment and add fuel to my creative juices. Seriously I spent 3 hours refreshing to see if anyone commented on the prologue immediately after posting it.

**_AN:_ ** **Artemis_HNR:**

Another chapter down and we are making great timing. I hope everyone does not feel we have abandoned our other projects. We are just on a roll and want to get out as much as we can. I know I have a few projects hanging out on the back burner but I promise we will be getting them done as soon as we can. Please comment with your thoughts we love to hear from you.


	3. Episode 2: Lunar Sea Spire

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

* * *

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

And Steven!

"Steven. Now is NOT the time!"

* * *

**Episode 2: "Lunar Sea Spire":**

I consider myself to be many things. 

Intelligent. Verbose. I can be a little too friendly, but if there is one thing I am not, is that I am not a self-taught individual.

I learn incredibly better with guidance and that is exactly what I didn’t have at this time. These “Powers” my gem donor cursed me with were overwhelming. Not that I wanted to be taught by her either, I just needed a little bit of guidance from her friends. However it was not to be. All around town I was unable to locate them, and I refuse to travel into that mossy shrine of theirs. If only because I would for sure meet with that woman again.

Instead, I found myself purchasing a bunch of junk off the internet to try and stumble my way through controlling my powers. Superhero movies, comic books, Wiccan self-help, I even looked into Ki and chakras. After a while I felt like I was just wasting my father's cash and decided to make due with what I already had.

Fun fact, I am technically part Lithoid, and stumbling into a Wiccan Crystal shop was eerie as all shards. Every Crystal in there was once a… person technically and now humans buff and carve their corpse… to wear or decorate their houses… It was with my morbid sense of humor that I did end up buying a few… I'd have to remember to wear these next time I saw Rose.

That train of thought aside. Today I had stepped out from my house with my hamburger backpack stuffed to the brim with my notebook and new comics. “Incarnation”, “Adolescent Heroes”, and “G-Kids” were among those that were shoved in there. Training was on the forefront of my mind, and the only place I knew that was out of the way of everything was at the cove at one end of the beach.

When I entered the inlet I quickly poured my collection of materials onto the grass and began writing notes of the powers shown inside. My thought process being: If I can find out how these fictional heroes activate and control their powers, maybe I can replicate it in real life. I had taken what Garnet said to heart and focused my purchases on heros with powers that were controlled by their emotions.

Adolescent Heroes was my favorite of these purchases. The team of six heroes fought to save their city from its own crime and invading aliens. Crowgirl was one of these heroes and is a cold emotionless heroine, only because her powers were governed almost entirely by her emotions. She also had a Gem permanently fused in her forehead. So maybe the comic writers met a gem person before.

One of the other purchases, “Incarnation”, had a world where people controlled the elements of the world with their knowledge and martial art techniques. Maybe my powers needed physical movement as well… 

Well even if not, exercise should help me control my emotions better, at least according to this self help book im required to read.

“Ok so to summarize, Crowgirl mutters phrases to center herself and enter a relaxed state of mind. Then she visualizes what she wants her power to create. If I do that and maybe combine some ninja moves maybe I’ll actually make it happen.”

And I would look cool doing it. I just know it. 

So I formulated a plan of attack. 

Step one. Calling up my power, bubbles or otherwise.

Step two. Changing the shape of my power. I made spikes shoot out of it a few days ago, I should be able to... make a wall, or a sword, or something cool.

Step three. To be determined.

With the book propped up on a rock I began. Form is key. So I had made sure to spend the next hour and a half stretching and copying poses from the book.

Focused, strong, and stubborn. That is what I was.

I moved my arms in calm collected movements. I tried to sense if my energy flowed like water or calmly like a breeze. Maybe it was a burning fire, or it was stubborn and unmoving like a rock.

I spent hours working through gentle motions with my hands and changing my stances while calming my mind till I just had enough. In my frustration I stomped my foot onto the sand and that wall I was visualizing for the last few hours? It just appeared for a moment before disappearing. 

What caused that to happen? Me just being annoyed? That just… doesn't make sense.

Wait… of course. There is no power inside me to call out… It just is. My power is just my emotions given form, calming my mind is the opposite of what I need to do, but then how would I control myself if-

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard clapping from behind me. 

“Nice dude I was wondering when you were going to do something.” I turned around to see Purple girl, or Amethyst, picking her nose near the entrance. “All your wavy arm motions was B. O. R. I. N. G.”

“How long have you been there?” 

“A while.” She said as she pulled a... gas canister out of nowhere drank from the spout like it was a straw. 

“Jeeze lady are you trying to kill yourself!” I yelled looking at her in horror as she continued to drink from the spout like it was nothing.

“Chill dude it's just gas.” Gas!?

“Purple gas is not a drink?” Is that a gem thing? Do I need to drink Gas?

“It is now.” She replied flatly, before she hit her stomach and belched loudly.

I just blinked at her in horror. She was like ‘Florida man’ given life, “You are a dumpster fire.”

“Thanks dude I’ll take that as a compliment.” She flung her light purple hair over her shoulder and smirked like she was proud. Ignoring my personal space she stepped up and spoke, “Alright dude. Garnet said to bring you to the temple as soon as you were able to make a wall appear. We are going on a mission, and you are not going to screw it up.”

“Look Purple as fascinating as that is. I'm not supposed to run off without telling my dad. So I’m going to need you to wait a bit while I give him a call.”

That was another issue. My dad was in a meeting at my school. Turns out to attempt to explain away the situation that was my manifestation of magical powers the school tried to say I brought a bomb or some explosive to school. I wasn’t going to jail but they wanted to expel me for the rest of the year, if not life. I would need to go to virtual school from then on. 

My dad was trying to smooth it all over at the school, and maybe turn that into a suspension. 

Humans just see what they want. .Į̮̙͎̙͓͉͎̇̿̆̑͌͡ s̬̮̖͉̫̻͍̝̅̓̍̄̔͗͘͢ḩ̵͇͍̻̖̖̹̈́͛̎̓̔͒̑͘͟ȍ̴̧̩͍͎̬͍̙̭͋͗̏͘͠ù̡̫̩̻̘̗̠̲̣̃̽̊͠l̵̼̰̖̦͕͈͑̂̅͑̋̆͝d̶̡̡̤̻̦̞͇͇͙͑̇̒͛̄̓̎̊͜ j̴̛̜͖͔̹͌͂̀͜͞ͅữ̶̺̟̤̹͙̘̜͍̍͌̚s̳̘̟̝̅̂͒̄͐̓͟͜͟͜͢t̨̩͓̖̲͙̲͖́̄͂͆͒͝ ç̧͕̙̹̞̞̜̇͆̋̓͑̿̕͢͜r̷̨̨̛͖͇̹̻͈̿̏͊̋̆̾͗̊ư̲̹͉̭̭̦̿͌̎̾̃s͖̜͉̪̬̤̖͍̗͂̾̾͆̿̚͝͡͝h̪̼͙̯̩̖̥̥̱̙͊͊̆̔̄̈͠ t̡̬̙͇̖͈͍̳͔͐̄͗͒͋̊̾͢͞h̢̞̖͉̩̼̪̳͑͑̄͗̅̒̃͋͘ę̷̝̰̣͚̭̯̌͒͛̽͟͞ͅm̷̯̲̩̼̝͍̻̞̰͒̒͐̆̐͗̽͟͡

I shook my head for a moment and pulled out my phone and scrolled till I found his face and dialed. He picked up after the first ring.

“Hey dad.”

“Hey Stewball, so I talked to the principal and it looks like they aren’t going to file any reports but they do think it's best that you don’t return till next year.”

“What! But what am I going to do then! What about college and Scholarships! I can’t be held back ą̜̬͉̩̼̗̐͊͛͊̐͢͝ṅ̹̦̹̥̹̞̿̅̈̕͠o̞̘̹̬̟̿͂͋̀͐̐̊̾̚͜͢ţ̦͉̫͊̾́͊̂͌͢͟͞h̸̡̥͈̞̫̫̹̉̿̄̊̒̈́̏͒̑͜ȅ̻̬̘̠̗̏͛̋̌̕͢r̸̛͓̥̲͚̹͔̗̺̱͊͂͐̄̓͛͟ y̩̣̳̪͌̀̓̓͌͗͜e̴̗̣̙͉̤̖̜̝͑̋̀͊͘̕͠͠ͅa̝͍̻̫̼͉̮̾͌̂̅̏͢͢͞ͅr̷̺̗͚̣̣̹̂̒̅̈́̽́͊͋!”

“Steven calm down I can practically see your glow on the beach from the school parking lot!” He was frantic. I looked around and coughed, right this is what I was afraid of. 

Peace, Quite, Empathy. Peace, Quite, Empathy.

It worked for her, it can work for me right?

My dad continued talking frantically while I tried to center myself again, “I have to agree with them Stewball. Your powers... are all out of whack. We are going to need you to not be at such a high emotional environment like school. You will just do online courses till next year or until your powers settle or we may take some time off… We can go over your old guitar lessons again if you like?”

How could I say no to that hopeful tone at the end.

“Maybe later dad… And okay I'll just go sign up for those online classes until I get this all sorted out. Anyway I called because, Purple.” I ignored whatever she shouted from the side, “said Garnet wants to take me on a mission. I guess this is “on the job” training.”

“Well you better not keep them waiting. Make sure you call me when you get back so I know you are alright.” 

I blinked at my phone for a moment.

“You are not serious right?” He made a confused noise over the line, so I just continued, “You are allowing me to go galavanting off with some alien refugees who gave you no prior warning. I could die and you wouldn’t even know where my body is.” 

“Steven Quartz Demayo Universe don’t you sass me now.”

“Gross dad. Why the full name? It's an honest question.”

“Yes now you best hurry up and get where you are going most of those missions are on a time limit. Or so your mom tells me.”

“Right.. Ok bye dad.” any time he brought her up it was an emotional off switch. Sometimes I wonder how I would feel about her if I never met her. 

Looking over I saw Purple finish off her gallon of Petrol and let out a loud burp. Scientifically I have to wonder about her body composition if she ingests items does that be she also expels? Her “Gem Shape” has a limit. Garnet says they don’t truly have a physical form but there has to be a science to her species...

“Alright dude come on times a wastin’!” She then took a bite… out of the gas can. 

“Right. So Purple I have to ask…” Honestly this is sorta awkward at this point.

After throwing the rest of the can in her… comically large mouth she spoke while chewing,“Sup dude.”

“What is your name? You know I only call you Purple because you never told me.”

“Oh totally.” She seemed to finally be done chewing and swallowed, “but to be fair I kind of like it.”

“Why is that?”

“Cause you named me dude! I have a real name now because of you.” So that threw me for a loop.

“Wait so you didn’t have a name before.”

“Nah man. I was called Amethyst, because of my gem, but according to Pearl, Garnet and Rose There are thousands of Amethyst on Homeworld and across the Galaxy. We are titled by our Gem type and that's it.” 

“Oh wow that's kind of sad actually. No individuality at all?”

“Yea, but it's fine dude I don’t mind the nickname. I think I’ll keep it.”

“Oh well...ok then if it makes you happy.” Maybe I could name the other gems, then again maybe it's just Amethyst that likes it.

The walk to the temple was calm, the cove I was using for training was only a couple miles down the beach from the statue of the eight armed woman. Time was not good for the statue, only 3 of the eight arms remained and nature had overtaken the structure, covering most of it in cracks and moss, the lighthouse that was built on the hill didn't help much, as its well maintained appearance was a heavy contrast to the temple.

By the time we made it there I think I found I really liked the Amethyst, Purple. She acted like she was around my age and definitely more human than the other Gems. When I asked her about it she seemed to laugh it off but I could tell there was something underneath that bravado. 

She didn't give me much time to question her before we made it to the temples entrance, where atop a large circular platform stood Garnet, the ballerina that disintegrated last week, and the leader of the bunch… Her. 

Pearl looked significantly different today, her eyes both a light blue, face as flawless as her gem, and seeming to move with barely contained excitement.

Garnet wasted no time in greeting me, alerting the others of my presence, “Ah Steven right on schedule. We will be going to travel to the Lunar Sea Spire.” She fiddled with the sides of her glasses for a moment before continuing, “It is a Important historical landmark out in the ocean. Its location is of course hidden from all Organic lifeforms.”

I nodded along to her explanation, and before I could ask why we were going there Garnet interrupted me, “The greatest Gem thinkers would go there for Peace and serenity. It is a place of our heritage and also yours. You will be able to learn more about yourself there.” Garnet motioned for Purple and me to hurry up onto the platform.

“We will be taking this Moon Goddess statue to the top of the Lunar Sea Spire and place it on the pedestal before Midnight. Without it the structural integrity of the building will be compromised and fall apart.”

I had so many questions, most of which involved how the small statue in Garnets hand could stop a building from falling over. Before I could voice any of this however I was interrupted once again, this time by the ballerina dancing around in excitement, “This will be my first time going to the spire but I've heard so many amazing things about it.” Her gemstone glowed and showed a hologram of a bustling city surrounding a large tower. The image zoomed into a view of the tower.

Rose placed her hand on top of Pearl’s head causing the image to flicker out and Pearl to shake her head around. “In its prime the building was a hub for all gem kind and a great many inventions that were brought to the spire, leaked out to the ‘humans’ .” Rose said as she calmed the Ballerina.

“So what… we are going to Atlantis?”

“Wait what?” Purple looked at me in confusion. I was confused too, how did they not know about Atlantis?

“You know. The lost city of Atlantis. Supposedly a location in the ocean hidden, but had great technological advancements far superior for their time. It is a Human fable, a legend. A̵t̸l̷a̶n̵t̶i̶s̸ ̴i̴s̸ ̵i̵d̸e̸a̴l̴i̵z̵e̵d̷ ̵a̵s̴ ̶a̴n̶ ̸a̴d̴v̴a̴n̵c̸e̸d̴,̶ ̸u̵t̷o̷p̵i̷a̸n̸ ̸s̶o̴c̵i̵e̶t̶y̸ ̸h̶o̴l̸d̵i̸n̵g̴ ̶w̷i̸s̸d̶o̸m̴ ̶t̵h̴a̷t̴ ̴c̶o̷u̵l̶d̷ ̸b̷r̸i̸n̵g̴ ̸w̶o̷r̴l̶d̸ ̷p̴e̵a̷c̷e̴.̵”

I coughed a bit and continued, “Plato spoke about it in the late 300’s B.C, “Atlantis is the embodiment of a materially wealthy, technologically advanced, and militarily powerful nation that has become corrupted by its wealth, sophistication, and might.” Humans have lost all their money and sometimes even their lives looking for it.”

Amethyst stared at me like she couldn’t believe all the information just came out of my mouth. Honestly I couldn’t either, I don’t really remember all that stuff about Plato. Must have heard about it in school somewhere.

Still she voiced her question, “Rose? Can he be right?”

“It's certainly possible it's not like we were able to crush all information about our existence.” She seemed embarrassed about that.

“There are many human legends stemming from our very existence in the world Steven I’m sure you will find a few to share with us.” Garnet smiled as she passed me the statue. “Now here put this in your bag and we can go.” She turned to the others and they walked to the other side of the room. I made sure to keep them in my line of sight as I looked at the statue that was practically the size of my entire bag… 

In order to make space I'm going to have to leave my comics behind.

I poured out the contents of my bag and dropped the statue inside it, leaving my comics and notebook attop my trusty Letterman that I had a bleach accident with. 

Fun fact black plus bleach comes out pink in the wash, but since my nickname is Pinky I didn't mind it so much. I feel like I’ll need some kind of rope for this mission but remembering Purples whip I think we might be fine. I sat there for a moment blocking out the hushed tones coming from the other side of the cave and just looked off to the ocean waves crashing along the beach.

Who could have imagined that ̵̸j̴o̴i̷n̶i̸n̵g̷ ̶a̵ ̶m̴i̴s̷s̷i̴o̸n̴ ̴c̶o̴u̷l̶d̵ ̸b̴e̵ ̶t̷h̷i̴s̷ ̷d̸u̷l̸l̴?̸

I just sighed and looked back forward a̴t̵ ̴m̷y̵ ̵c̴o̸m̵p̸u̴t̷e̸r̶ ̸s̸c̵r̴e̵e̶n̷.̴ ̴A̴f̴t̶e̴r̸ ̷p̸r̵e̸t̶e̶n̵d̵i̴n̶g̸ ̸t̶o̵ ̸b̵e̷ ̸i̷n̶t̴e̷r̵e̸s̸t̶e̷d̵ ̴i̸n̶ ̵t̸h̴e̸ ̷r̶e̶a̴d̴i̸n̵g̶s̸ ̵o̴f̸ ̶t̶h̵e̵ ̵v̵a̶r̸i̸o̴u̴s̷ ̵m̴a̴c̴h̵i̵n̸e̵s̷ ̴f̶o̴r̷ ̵a̴ ̷m̴o̶m̷e̶n̵t̴ ̶I̵ ̴s̷i̴g̵h̴e̷d̸ ̵a̵g̵a̶i̵n̸.̵

This is what I wanted after all right? ̵A̴ ̶b̸r̵a̶n̶d̶ ̸n̴e̵w̵ ̴c̵o̵l̸o̸n̶y̷ ̸a̸l̵l̷ ̷f̴o̵r̷ ̸m̷y̶s̴e̸l̴f̸.̷ ̷I̸ ̴l̸o̶o̸k̴e̴d̴ ̷o̷v̴e̶r̸ ̵a̸t̶ Ṕ̵̡̱̗̟̘̲̬͉̞̭̝ȅ̴͔̰̽̿̍̄̓̿̋̓ä̷̡̱̼̣͇̫͙̫͍̫͙̞́̂͑̿̂͌̃̕r̸̡̛̺̭̱̬͖̝̾̆̈́̂̉̓͂̈́̔̌̾̕͠l̷̯̀̒̈̀͛͝ ̸w̸h̶o̶ ̸w̶a̵s̴ ̴s̶t̴a̸n̵d̶i̸n̶g̵ ̶t̵h̶e̴r̶e̶ ̷l̶o̸o̴k̵i̶n̵g̴ ̴a̴s̵ ̴b̴o̷r̸e̶d̵ ̴a̴s̵ ̵I̵ ̵f̴e̴l̷t̸.̸

̸“̵S̸o̷ ̵h̴o̸w̵ ̶d̴i̷d̷ ̶p̸e̶a̵c̴e̶ ̸t̸a̵l̵k̴s̵ ̶w̸i̴t̷h̸ ̸t̵h̶e̵ ̶o̴t̵h̵e̵r̸s̵ ̵g̸o̵?̴”̶ ̵S̸h̷e̶ ̷l̵o̴o̶k̴e̵d̵ ̵c̵o̷n̶f̷u̷s̵e̸d̴ ̸f̷o̴r̴ ̷a̸ ̸m̷o̸m̷e̷n̴t̸ ̵b̶e̸f̷o̵r̴e̵ ̷r̸e̵p̷l̷y̵i̴n̴g̸,̵ ̵“̷S̶h̷e̷ ̶s̷t̵i̶l̶l̴ ̸h̷a̶t̷e̸s̴ ̸y̵o̷u̶,̴ ̴b̷u̷t̵ ̷s̶h̸e̵ ̸a̶g̵r̵e̸e̵d̷ ̵t̵o̶ ̵c̵o̸m̵e̷ ̷f̷o̴r̵ ̸t̵h̴i̸s̵ ̷m̸e̵e̶t̸ ̴a̶n̴d̶ ̶g̶r̷e̸e̵t̷ ̸o̶f̶ ̵o̵u̶r̷s̶.̸”̸ ̶

I nodded and closed my eyes for a moment, when I opened them I noticed the beach was a lot more crowded than it was earlier, and it looked like whatever argument the gems were having was simmering down.

Rose was whispering to Pearl who nodded along to what she was saying while Garnet and Purple walked over to me. 

“Alright Steven, we are going to need you to step onto the Warp. The Warp focuses on where the Gem wishes to go. So Steven you and I will go first and Amethyst, Pearl and Rose will go second.” Garnet said as she led me onto the gem shaped Pad on the floor. The pad itself was a turquoise color and possibly was made of that precious stone as well given the GemTech I am being introduced to. 

“Remember we are traveling to-” “The Lunar sea spire, yes I understand.” I cut her off as I stood next to her nervously.

I mean what can I say, this is teleportation. I’ve watched many shows where this ends badly for people.

She placed her hand on my shoulder and suddenly a bright light engulfed us and I felt like I was being lifted into the sky. Within moments the white light washed over us and I could see many pillars of light all around weaving into and out of lights and voids. I watched as we flew through this expanse of space and just as quickly as it began it ended, the white light flew over us again and I felt gravity pushing down on me causing me to stumble for a second.

I could faintly hear Garnet comment, “You did well for your first trip. Congratulations.”

I looked around, we were at the bottom of a large stone tower, surrounding us and the tower itself were waterfalls as tall as the tower itself was. Its water crashing down onto the sea floor before something, Gem Magic most likely, pushed the water back out into the ocean. 

Altogether this place just felt.

Amazing, but sad. 

The towers were in disrepair. P̷e̶r̷i̴d̶o̵t̸’̶s̸ ̸w̸o̸r̸k̷s̵h̸o̸p̸ ̴h̴a̵s̵ ̷l̸o̸n̴g̵ ̶s̴i̴n̶c̵e̴ ̶b̴r̷o̸k̶e̴n̴ ̴o̵f̷f̸ ̴f̴r̵o̶m̶ ̷t̶h̶e̵ ̵t̷o̵w̴e̵r̷'̸s̶ ̶s̵i̵d̸e̷,̷ S̶̷̴a̵̷̶p̶̵̴h̸̶̵i̸̵̵r̸̶̶e̸̷̵’̴̵̷s̸̸̸ ̵̷̴p̸̷̴o̶̶̸o̴̶̷l̶̶̸ ̵̴̵h̸̷̶a̷̷̷s̵̴̸ ̸̶̶l̴̸̸o̵̴̸n̶̵̷g̶̶̵ ̶̴̵s̶̶̵i̷̸̸n̷̶̵c̴̴̵e̴̸̷ ̴̷̴b̶̶̴e̷̵̵e̷̶̷n̷̴̵ ̸̶̴o̸̶̵v̶̷̴e̶̷̶r̶̶̸r̷̴̶u̴̴̸n̸̶̵ ̶̴̵b̴̸̷y̵̵̷ ̷̴̴v̵̷̵i̵̸̷n̵̶̶e̵̸̸s̷̸̵,̷̵̴ ̸̶̷a̶̷̸n̶̴̵d̷̷̷ ̸̴̷e̸̴̶v̴̴̴e̵̶̸n̸̶̵ ̵̷̵L̶̶̸̴̴̶̴a̸̷̴̴̷̸̵p̷̴̷̴̴̸̷i̵̴̴̴̴̴̸s̵̶̶̷̷̴̸’̸̸̸̴̴̸̸s̶̴̵̷̵̶̵ ̶̸̸̷̸̷̵p̴̶̵̴̸̸̵e̸̸̶̷̸̴̴r̴̴̴̴̷̷̴c̸̶̷̶̸̴̸h̷̵̶̶̶̴̸ ̴̷̷̸̴̴̸i̴̷̶̸̴̴̴s̵̶̷̴̵̸̶ ̴̵̸̸̶̴̶c̸̸̶̵̷̴̷r̸̸̴̷̶̸̶a̷̴̴̶̷̴̸c̶̸̵̷̵̴̷k̵̶̶̶̶̶̴e̶̵̵̷̴̷̴d̴̸̶̸̵̴̶ ̸̵̷̴̴̶̶i̵̵̴̶̴̸̴n̸̸̷̸̷̸̶ ̷̷̶̷̴̸̷i̸̶̷̸̸̵̶t̴̵̷̷̵̶̴s̸̶̶̷̸̴̷ ̷̷̸̴̶̵̴f̵̷̴̶̸̷̵o̴̴̴̵̵̴̶u̵̴̴̴̸̵̵n̸̷̶̷̶̴̵d̷̷̶̵̵̴̷a̴̵̸̸̴̴̸t̶̸̵̶̶̵̷i̶̸̶̶̴̸̷o̷̸̴̵̴̵̸n̷̸̴̸̶̷̶s̷̷̴̸̸̵̸.̷̶̵̸̸̴̴

I took one long look at this place before turning around when I heard the Teleporter go off again. The new arrivals I instantly noticed as everyone's faces fell as they watched pieces of the old Atlantean tower fall off and crack into a raging torrent of water below.

“It wasn’t like this a hundred years ago.” Garnet said softly as she looked the building up and down. “However these buildings were not meant to be stable without consistent maintenance. We should have checked here years ago.”

Purple looked almost as awed as I felt myself, so this must have been her first time here as well. She started looking around after a moment, so I just moved my gaze over to the fretting Pearl, “Oh no we must preserve this piece of history. My Rose Quartz was telling me this is the Last Spire of our age. If we lose this there will be very little of our history remaining.”

“Hey guys!” Purple called from a ledge, “How exactly are we going to get across?” 

Looking down into the chasm between the Teleporter and the Spire, I realized there was no actual bridge for us to walk across. So I guess we will have to use Purple’s whip to cross- Suddenly I heard a crack and watched as the ground under purple started to crack. 

I threw out my left hand and in a flash of Pink, a bridge running from beneath my feet and to the spire flashed into existence as the ground gave way beneath the Pink bridge. 

“Amethyst!” Rose shouted rushing past me, shoulder checking me on her way. 

I watched the bridge flicker for a moment before screaming internally and focusing more on my creation. 

A bridge on top of another bridge, supporting each other. 

I can call Rose not nice words later keeping this bridge up comes first.

Purple after a moment called out, “Woah! Talk about a lightshow!” she stood up and tapped the walk way experimentally for a moment before making her way across the bridge at a much too slow pace. “Common guys Steven knows what's up!” 

Garnet steadied me as she stared out watching as Rose picked up Pearl and dashed her way across my bridge, “That's it Steven, you are doing great. Keep up your concentration.”

I grit my teeth as my palm started glowing a brighter pink with the walkway reflecting the amount of effort I was putting into it.

“We are both going to cross your bridge next. Keep a steady mind on the bridge you are making. If you lose focus the suction from the whirlpool will pull us down and the force of the water will shatter us against the side of the building. It will not be a pleasant experience,”Garnet said clinically, before she fixed her glasses, “No pressure though, you'll do fine.” 

That just adds to the pressure woman!

“Focus Steven. Remember the basic structure of it, the strength of the object, then refine it. You got this. My bridge is hard as stone. Strong, sturdy, able to hold weight.” 

I just started rambling nonsense as Garnet led me to the bridge and we started to cross. I was so focused on the bridge, I didn’t notice when we had finished crossing. 

“Dude you did it! You saved me my dude!” Purple hugged me around the middle and spun me around. I found myself laughing with her, I mean…

I did save her didn’t I? I used my powers and saved a life. I’m a hero now!

“Amethyst! Her power flux could have gotten you killed. So don’t praise her, she doesn’t deserve it.”

And there goes my good mood.

“Geeze Rose Lighten up.” Purple replied in my defence dropping me back to the ground.

“She won’t.” Oh that was meant to be in my head… Oh well. The glare from Rose felt a little more intense though and I just raised my hands up a little.

“I see what you mean Steven with a family like that who needs enemies.” Purple snarked.

“Rose, your brash actions could have jeopardized our mission. Please reign in your resentment.” Garnet said forcefully as she rested a hand on my shoulder and led me around the building.

The other gems getting the hint rushed towards us and we began to ascend the tower. Garnet and Rose took up the front followed closely by Pearl and myself and purple took up the rear. I looked all around at the carvings on the walls and inspected them. A sense of nostalgia washed over me as Pearl began commenting on everything. “It looks worse in here than it did outside. Look at all the cracks and the water damage.” Pearl said as she inspected the walls. “When we return the statue to the pedestal the building will repair itself to its former glory! Then we can walk these walls and learn about th-”

“Pearl if you would stop talking.”

“Oh.. uh. Yes my quartz.”

Jeez, she's even a bitch to her friends. I do not even understand what my dad finds so great about her… Then again the less I think about them ‘dancing’ the better. 

“Steven watch your step those crystal shrimp are toxic when agitated.” Garnet commented dully from the front.

What the shit are Crystal Shrimp? I stood still for a moment as the shape of a slug-like creature with gem shards lining its back came to mind.

Yeah that's what a crystal shrimp would look like.

Pearl lef the main group to get a closer look at some of the murals on the wall depicting several Gem ladies shooting beams of light from their hands.

Meanwhile Garnet, Purple and Rose continued their march up the next flight of stairs. So I asked Pearl something that was bugging me.

“So… Pearl what are your thoughts of this place?”

“Oh Steven this Spire was the Glory of all gem kinds. The walls painted in vibrant colors and 

Art to rival the greatest mortal renaissance painters. The statues were in precious stone and dressed in the finest silks and glittered in gold or silver thread.”

Right… But, “You know a lot for someone who has never been here before.”

“Oh... I must have misspoke. I … must have forgotten.” She looked concerned for a moment as she touched a statue that was missing a head. I watched her run her hand over the brittle fading stone with furrowed brows. As she studied the statue in front of her she gradually looked distressed. From behind the statue I saw two large worms with crystal spikes coming out of their back crawl up to the shoulders of the statue. 

Just like how I imagined. Crystal Shrimp.

“Oh... what are these.” the Ballerina reached out but I grabbed her around the middle and yanked her back. 

“Don’t touch them. They are deadly!” A pink Bubble surrounded the two of us as the two crystal shrimp became hostile and started climbing along the bubble making hissing noises. “That...That's not good. Any Ideas Ballerina?”

“Baller...I’m Pearl.”

“That's what you are that is not your name. I mean what do you _want_ to be called?”

“Just… call me Pearl. It’s what my Rose calls me.” No time to argue that.

“Ok then _Pearl_ do you have any ideas on how to get us past these deadly crystal … isopods, or wood lice... they look more like a worm than a shrimp.”

Pearl looked at the two hissing and rattling creatures that were beginning to secrete what I could only assume was some kind of acid. She reached her hand over her pearl and pulled out a spear and knocked it against the wall of the bubble. 

“Is there any way you can make a small opening for me to stab them through?” Pearl asked 

“You want to stab them through my bubble?” I looked at her incredulously there was just no way that could work.. 

Pearl waved her arm in a ‘Well? What's it gonna be’ fashion and I just shrugged and thought about making the inside able for someone to pass through while the outside was still impenetrable

“Try now.” Not needing to be told twice the ballerina spun her spear before quickly thrusting her spear into the wormlike creature. It let out a terrifying shriek before exploding the crystal shards shattering and blowing in all directions like the explosion of a claymore. The second worm made a shriek as well that started and stopped every few seconds. It seemed to be sending out a call of some kind which quickly became apparent by several glows that began to light up the room. On the ceiling and walls and out of cracks and crevices the worms began to arrive in droves. The sound of creatures falling from the ceiling in clinks shrieks and crunching shlops made me queasy.

“Oh no thats...thats really not good.” I whispered beginning to glow pink in nervousness as the worms began to surround the bubble and freeze just lying in wait. 

“Why did they stop? That doesn’t make any sense.” Pearl said, trying to pull her spear out of the bubble. “Steven! I need this back!”

I examined the group as silence fell over the scene. I could only hear the pounding in my heart. Something was coming and I could feel it. There was this frozen tension in the air then the Worm shrieked again.

Pearl quickly attempted to pull her spear back down multiple times before I thought about letting the spear be able to go through the bubble without popping it. She fell back holding her spear before she thrust it up into the other Worm. With that final noise the Worm blew up like a claymore, crystal bits flying everywhere. I could hear a crystalline rattle noise as all of the shrimp shook their tails. 

Up on the stairs I could hear another ruckus. It sounded like our companions had their own issues with the crystal shrimp. I watched a large Shrimp get thrown down the stairwell by Purples Crystal whip. A moment later Amethyst popped her head down and, seeing the many shrimp surrounding the bubble, called back upstairs.

“Rose there is more downstairs!” Purple shouted 

“Amethyst look out!” Garnet yelled. Purple turned around and ducked as a large pillar was chucked over Purple’s head and landed and crushed many shrimp in front of us.

Feeling the ground shake beneath us with the toss of the pillar was disconcerting but what was more worrying was the continued rumbles beneath our feet. I looked over to the left to see a large creature climbing up the walls. Faded Abalone shell and four milky eyes it had several Antennules waving about in a horrifying manner like a snake scenting the air looking for a fleshy meal. 

“They must be starving.” I whispered to Pearl who appeared to be shaking in horror next to me. All along the carapace I could see several large gem clusters shooting out They looked like moonstone Crystals. The Pleopod legs of the shrimp were stabbed deep into the wall holding the shrimp in place while its Chela, the mini claws snapped quickly. That Monster had to be 10 by 40 feet. 

The tail of the Shrimp had large crystals shooting out of it making it more dangerous as could be seen when the creature wiped the tail around with its whole body shattering part of the wall. “That… is a terrifying creature.” I whispered as I looked over to see Garnet, Purple and Rose jump down from the stairs to a clear place. Garnet examined the scene talking to both Purple and Rose. Rose looked to be shouting back as she pulled out a sword from her stomach. Purple Shook her head and pointed to the 50 or so shrimps still surrounding my bubble. 

“Pearl it looks like we may need a plan to get past these shrimp so we can help the others fight the mother.” I said looking at our dilemma. 

“Can you make this bubble a weapon?” Pearl asked looking around “If you had some kind of way to weaponize the bubble we could walk over the shrimps and they will be shattered before we can help handle the Mother.” I couldn’t really reply as my breath started getting heavier. 

Holding this bubble the other day felt easy, but now it felt like I was trying to hold weights up. Sweat was starting to pool down my face.

“Steven are you ok?!” 

“I’m fine Pearl I’m just a human and this is my first time actively controlling my powers.” I mean that had to be it right? That or the fact that the shrimp were actively trying to break through it was just draining me faster.

“Steven I don’t want to worry you but If we are going to live through this we need you to hold onto this bubble.”

Okay that does it.

“You know what Pearl I’m starting to get really tired of these life or death ultimatums! Maybe if you all started training me as a child I would have a better handle on all the things I could possibly do!” I shouted and stomped the ground, my shout and stomp shattered my bubble. There was a swirl of wind and a powerful blast creating a crater and blowing back half of the shrimp into the walls, shattering some of them on impact.

Pearl herself sat there in a daze, having been pushed to the ground in either shock or the force of the wind.

I quickly concentrated on bubbling Pearl and myself again before the small shrimp would attack.

Adrenaline coursed through me once more as I focused on adding spikes to my bubble and thought about walking over these things crushing them beneath the weight of myself and pearl.

In the back the mother shrimp dropped off of the wall and landed in front of Garnet, Purple and Her. The Three attacked Colossal shrimp. 

After I made the spikes I started running forward, Pearl however tripped over air and started screaming as the ball continued rotating with my movements. I immediately regretted my decision when the first shrimp popped and the explosion bounced us around the room.

I had to hold it together so I wouldn't hurl. 

I could barely see anything after the first bounce and we crashed into another shrimp. Its explosion rocketed us to another wall in the room. I crashed into the side of pearl and reflexively held onto her for dear life as the bouncing around continued.

After half a minute of soul crushing, stomach emptying bouncing we began to slow down.

When we finally stopped and I thought I would stop flying around like a ball in a pinball machine, Purple wrapped her whip around the bubble and started swinging us around and around.

“Hold On Steven!”

“Pur- _woa_ What _woa_ are _woa_ you _woa_ do-wing!” 

“Improvising!” 

The improvised Flail was swung around multiple times into the Shrimp and I quickly closed my eyes, Ignoring the sudden movements of myself and the others. I heard something large crack nearby and I knew it was almost over.

I̶ ̶w̸a̵s̷ ̸b̸e̷t̴r̸a̴y̵e̶d̶

“One more Steve-o!” Amethyst shouted and did an overhead swing and crushed the Large shrimp's head and the shrimp popped into smoke and a large Football sized cluster like Gem fell to the floor in pieces. 

Garnet tapped it and it was bubbled and disappeared. 

“Oh god.” 

I can’t hold it anymore. 

I barely paid any attention to Pearl other than to slip out of her arms as I stood up and popped my bubble. I ran to the edge holding onto my stomach and leaned over it. The remains of this morning's bagel sandwich quickly painting the walls on its way down to the rushing waters below.

“You did good steven.” Garnet said resting her hand on my back, rubbing it as I continued to evacuate my stomach for a few more seconds. “I don’t feel like I did.” I grumbled back. 

I honestly didn’t do much there other than be a pinball.

“You paid attention to my instructions and because of you we cleared out the spire of all potential dangers of Crystal shrimp. Be proud of your accomplishment.” Garnet smiled giving me a thumbs up and led me back to the group. Pearl and Purple looked at me in concern for a moment while Rose just looked off with a glare. 

“We best hurry this up.” Rose grumbled as she stomped ahead to be the lead. We made it to an open casm with rushing water. 

“We can easily jump that.” Purple said only to be stopped by Garnet putting her arm out to stop her. “Stop with the gravity of the spire you will be pulled down into the water.” While Purple and Garnet debatted I looked at a pillar I saw. “That would make a perfect bridge.” I commented and tried to figure out how we could knock it down. If I had the strength Garnet did I would punch it and it would be felled by that kind of strength. Maybe all I needed was gauntlets just like she had. I tried to imagine those boxing gloves dad had stored in the garage and barely noticed when I turned pink. When I felt a significant weight in my hand I punched forward and all I heard was a boom as the pillar fell and I stood in front of a pile of dust. 

I felt the gems looking at me and I just stared at my hands. 

Holy stars am I strong.

Garnet I noticed had walked back into the previous room and came back with another pillar and layed it across the rushing water 

“Good try Steven.”

“Yea dude, your like insane strong.”

“Next time pay attention to the amount of Newtons you use in a punch. The unit of force is typically the Newton , which is one kilogram meter per second squared. So the amount of potential energy you store in your muscles before your release is important.” Pearl said mimicking a punch to me. 

The innocent nature she said this in kinda threw me for a loop. I just don’t understand how the serious, almost scary, woman on the beach turned into this. Maybe it had to do with her exploding last time.

Rose came by and picked up Pearl without a word walking her across the gap. 

That just seemed… weird 

“Um Purple are.. Pearl and … you know... a ‘Thing’.” Asking for my Dad.

“You mean Pearl and your mom?” I nodded to Purple “Honestly I don’t know. I think Rose is just possessive of her. They are usually always near one another.”

“I can see that.” I said as we went across the bridge and climbed the steps to the top of the sea spire.

“This is it the moon Goddess Pedestal!” Pearl exclaimed “And the moon is almost overhead! It's not too late to save this piece of history!” Peal shook her arms in excitement dancing in place.

“Steven the Statue.” Garnet said as she backed up and squared her stance as if preparing for the earth to shake. I suppose the tower was probably going to make some kind of movement when the statue was put in place. I took off my backpack and unzipped the cheese compartment and pulled out the statue. The figure of a woman holding onto a diamond looked a little old so I polished the crystal a bit with my shirt before walking to the pedestal and rested the goddess on the hole in the center of the pedestal.

“Right on time.” Purple whispered to me as a light shinned from the pedestal up to the moon. The light beam lifted the moon goddess and lifted her higher and higher and the tower began to shake. 

“Everyone stand steady!” Garnet shouted she summoned her gauntlets, Pearl pulled out her spear, Amethyst her whip, Rose brandished her sword and looked ready to rush me. 

A bright light blinded everyone and gravity pushed myself and the others down. 

It felt as if the tower was moving up. I fell to the floor in what was probably the most opportune moment because I felt a rush of wind over me. When My vision was restored I could see that the stone of the tower was glowing a bright polish marble. The tower glowed in an almost ethereal light. I watched as small cracks seemed to close on their own little by little.

This place was beautiful…

“How long-”

“It will take several months if not years for the tower to fully repair itself. There was much structural damage but the tower is slowly beginning to pull itself out of the sea. If there were any Lapis still on earth the tower would instantly be pulled out of the earth while the Bismuth and peridots kept the tower stable on its ascent. However, the tower will lift on its own. It needs only time.” Garnet interrupted me as she pulled me back up. “Let's return you home.” 

I could only nod. Making a note to myself to return here soon. I̴t̶'̵s̷ ̶b̴e̶e̷n̴ ̸s̵o̵ ̷l̶o̸n̶g̵.̴

Purple hugged me around the middle in excitement.

“Amethyst!” We both just ignored Rose who Pearl was attempting to drag off back down the tower.

“You did great my dude! Keep this up and you will be a Crystal Gem in no time.”

I smiled a little at that. Maybe these gems aren't so bad.

D̴e̸s̸p̵i̵t̴e̴ ̷t̶h̵e̸i̷r̴ ̵b̷e̴t̵r̵a̷y̴a̵l̸

* * *

 **_AN:_ ** **Mark the Mark:**

Holy Shit. My rewrites took forever and I am so happy that we finished this next chapter. Lots of things were cut, moved, reworded, rewritten. Like this is prolly Episode 3 Version 9. Like

Argh! But whatever we have a plan, we are sticking to it, and I hope that what I put out there is not crap. 

Also this is really episode 3 Version 10. Because Artemis DELETED THE CHAPTER. *Ok I did not {Delete} the chapter I removed...unnecessary bits*

Review please.

**_AN:_ ** **Artemis_HNR:**

Thank you very much for reading our new chapter. We greatly appreciate all you who have stomached our story thus far. 

Please Review, we would really love to hear from you. Mark more than others I'm sure.

And who can guess what is up with the Glitched Text? (called Fizzle Wizzle font by Mark.)

  
  



	4. Episode 3: "Shards of Steven"

**_Episode 3: "Shards of Steven"_ **

* * *

**_AN: Mark the Mark: Somehow, Episode 2 has more views then Episode 1. How does that make sense?_ **

* * *

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl...

Not Steven.

* * *

Due to my more frequent visits to the temple after the Spire mission, Amethyst (Purple as I like to call her) and Pearl had taken it upon themselves to add a few human amenities near the warp pad.

An old couch and table, that were somehow in almost pristine condition, were placed near the far wall from the "star door" that made up the gems' rooms.

At least I assume it was amethyst and pearl, the former is always lounging on the couch when I arrive and the later I've seen sweeping the sand out from the openings and cleaning the furniture.

It was on one of these visits a purple pearl greeted me by smacking her own behind with a, "Wromp Wromp!"

I didn't blush, despite whatever purple might tell you.

But I did question how such a thing was possible.

"Wait I'm sorry can you run that by me again?"

"Come on dude how many times do you need me to explain this!" Purple was throwing her … cat paws up in… frustration? "It is the easiest ability a Gem can do. All Gems can shapeshift." She's a dog now. "Like we can make one arm huge we can turn into a sofa." She's a sofa now... "Honestly we can transform into just about anything we can think of."

It took me a little longer than normal to come up with a response after seeing… all that.

"Purple... it's great that you are explaining all of this to me. Honestly thank you. But, while you were playing shapeshifters roulette you forgot to… I don't know... explain to me the process… I can't just...DO it I need to know HOW."

"Oh yea right." She shifted to normal and started to rub her chin.

After a minute she started to tap her foot while thinking.

Another minute passed and I had to say, "Purple don't tell me you forgot…" she glared at me, "Dude give me a break, I never had to explain this to anyone before."

She snapped her finger and turned into a cat slower than normal before she shook her fur out and transformed back into a Human.

"Ok so! You need to think about what you want to change into." She plopped herself back down onto the coach, "After you have that idea in your mind you need to hold that thought and shake it out." Purple shook her whole body and in her place sat a purple… me, "Like this! Now you try." The purple clone crossed his arms and leaned back onto the coach.

"Ok so just think it and it will happen. Let me start small, how about just my arm?" I try to imagine the arm of a weightlifter: big, muscular, strong. Muscle on top of muscle bulging Biceps, Triceps, Deltoids, Carpi, and radials.

I didn't notice the pink glow surrounding me or the fact my arm was bulging in several places growing and shrinking as if unsure of the form it wished to settle on. I closed my eyes as I felt the strange sensation travel down my arm before it was just gone. There was a thump and then utter silence.

"Dude, wow. I mean… what the shit."

I felt nothing but did not want to lose the image of my arm in case it was still changing.

"Did I do it?"

"Well, you certainly did something."

Opening my eyes I looked at purple who was holding something in her hand. It was a large pink… thing with bumps in different places it looked odd but then I noticed her looking down at it then looking to the right of me. Confused, I looked at the pink thing then looked to my right and noticed nothing. But then I looked a little down. Where was my….

That's when the screaming started.

"THAT'S MY ARM!"

My arm is not on my body! I'm going to Die! I don't want to die! I do- I do… Wanna...

 _Blackness_.

...

After I came too I was laying on the couch and Purple was poking my face with my pink arm.

My fucking arm was missing.

I didn't scream this time, but like any normal person, it took me a few minutes to calm down. Purple was talking to me, but I ignored what she was saying as she left with my pink appendage.

So. I wasn't bleeding out, I had no feeling from my shoulder down, no pain either.

Will I need a prosthetic? Can I regrow my arm? How am I supposed to function?!

I spent a while thinking about the process I went through with Purple and where I possibly went wrong. I wanted my arm to change. I thought about how it changed shape and held the thought of trying to push it into existence.

Now, all I can imagine right now is my body falling apart at the joints. All my fingers and toes falling off of my body one by one then my palm then my forearm. I tried to reimagine pieces growing in like a character from one of the superhero comics. They could lose entire limbs and just grow them back like a Starfish or Jellyfish unable to die.

I hope that doesn't happen to me, just lying there unable to move or stop the pile of body parts growing more limbs just for them to fall off. A mountain of limbs with a terrifying head resting at the top trying to call out for help but being unable to its mouth separated from its lungs unable to breathe but unable to die.

I don't need therapy.

Then again, I'm still half-human, I need to breathe after all… Right?

Okay, bad thought. Calm down, Steven.

I tried to scratch my ear as the sound of cracking glass echoed in my head. Wait why didn't that…

Fantastic. My other arm fell off.

Ĭ̷̮̳̈́ ̶̯̄ḏ̷͔̑ó̵̝̬n̵͇̒̉'̸̧̓͠t̸͎͛ ̷̹̰̟̊̀š̵̢́h̷̘̼̹̄̉̏a̴̮̝̍̈̀͜p̶̭͖̉e̴̳̮͗ś̵͇͍͒h̷̲̻̦͠ḯ̸̖͔̉̆f̸̛̺̩̐t̸̝͓͚̓́ Never again. Purple will have to shatter me to get me to try this again.

The warp pad shined as the group of gems assembled, Purple in front with her raising my arm like some sort of magic sword.

Nice to see someone is joking about this. When the group noticed me however they were taken aback, either gasping or being disgusted. Even Rose graced me with a look of concern.

T̸͖͒ȍ̵̮ơ̸̖k̵̲̉ ̴̆͜h̴̛͚e̴̳͘r̷͎̾ ̶̢̿l̸͔̉o̷̭̓n̵̮̒ǵ̴̟ ̶͖̅e̵̜͠ň̴̻o̴̢͘u̸͈͆g̷̦̚h̸̦̅ I couldn't help but chuckle as that thought crossed my mind.

Purple rushed over to the pile of body parts that made up the human boy Steven.

"Dude what happened!?"

I blinked up to Purple and couldn't respond. What could I even say? I fell apart when she left me.

Literally and figuratively.

Garnet looked me over before picking up my head and torso. Yep, my legs fell off too. Nice. I'm not crying. She cradled me and lifted my shirt to see my gem. After a moment she nodded, "Damaged, It looks like there are cracks on the far side of the gem."

How? "But I never broke my gem. It has always been this way." Okay maybe I was crying a little, "I don't wanna die."

Garnet laid me back down on the couch and fixed her glasses, calm as ever she replied, "I know that Steven and you mustn't worry. I see that you will find this is just a misstep along the way of your training."

Her calm made me calm down but, "How… How can we fix this?"

"That I am not too sure of. I see many avenues and branching futures that I can not fully place where the timeline meets."

"We could just put it out of its misery."

"Rose! That is uncalled for!"

"What do you want me to say! You said that its gem is cracked! That is torture for a normal gem and as you always remind me this one is not even a full gem!" She drew her sword, from her gem.

"When a human loses a limb they bleed and agonize and if left untreated die. We retreat to our gem when in agony. But look at it!" Rose motioned to me.

She's going to kill me. I'm useless, a pile of parts. I guess this was a mercy, but I don't want to die. I'm not ready to go, Ḭ̸̈́ ̷̼͗ẇ̴͈o̸̹͛n̵̮̽'̸̯̉t̵͍͗ ̵̫̔d̵̫͘ȋ̷̺e̶̲̽ ̶͈̄a̷̗͋g̴͔͑ả̵̯i̶͔͐n̶͕̎

I grasped my gem in my mind, Please, Keep her away.

A flash of pink light burst from my gem pushing everyone away, my bubble pushing everyone back and expanding before it popped away again.

With everyone at a sufficient distance away I sighed in relief. I have so much to live for. I mean I haven't even had my first kiss. Like hell is I going to let them just kill me...

Rose stormed to the entrance of the cave, Pearl following along like a shadow, and Garnet fixed her glasses before following along. I looked over to see Amethyst picking up my wayward arm. She started to walk towards me, taking glances towards the other three gems at the entrance to the cave.

"I'm not going to hurt you." she spoke as she got closer. I could only nod as she sat down next to me.

A moment passed as I rested my head on the couch. My emotional ups and downs were starting to bother me. Like a switch keeps getting flipped and I'm not in control of it.

Maybe I should see a therapist? … eh. I'm sure it's not that bad.

I scanned my eyes over the rest of the gems, noting how they formed a huddle near the door.

"They look upset." I commented watching Rose, Garnet, and surprisingly Pearl having an argument.

Amethyst shrugged, "Garnet and Rose always have arguments over you. You being so 'new' has always generally ended any fights though."

"New?"

"Well yeah, your half gem half-human. We all love new things, it's why they like it here so much, all the new things for us are here on earth. Like us earthlings, they get scared over new things though."

"So what. Is my mom scared of me?"

She shrugged again, "I think she is just scared of screwing up."

"That's a poor excuse."

She scoffed while turning over one of my arms in her hands, "Never said it was a good one my dude. Let's see if we can try to put you back together. Like a puzzle." I didn't like that joking tone she used...

I was proven how annoying she could be when she started to poke and prod me with my detached limbs… She tried sticking my left leg where my right arm was supposed to be with a laugh.

After a few minutes of fun, she took my arm and jabbed me with it where it was supposed to go. "Maybe we should glue it in place?"

"Purple no. Glue is not the way to do this." Not that I had any better ideas, but I doubt glue would fix this.

"How else will we stick it on? Oooo I know!" Purple ran off to the door in the cave, The room sliding open from the star door, the amethyst gem glowing brightly as it moved, revealing a room with mountains of random junk, before the door snapped shut.

I didn't have long to think about what I just saw when she jogged out a moment later holding a roll of silver like it was a gift from the gods.

Duct Tape.

Really?!

I could only look at her with my eyes wide as she started attaching limbs and taping them to me till I was in a full-body cast of silver tape.

"See! You're back to normal and now you even have a new sick outfit!"

"Purple if I was able to slap you I would."

"Oh is it too tight?" Was she serious?

Serious or not, she started tugging on the tape and my arms fell back off along with my legs.

"Oh yea that's not working."

I held in my retort as I noticed Garnet silently approaching us, her face its usual stoic calm.

"Steven we have an idea." Deciding to put my trust in what mentally I was starting to dub "Best Mom" I nodded to her to continue. "We are going to take you to the fountain."

Fountain?

"It is a place of healing. The pink waters restore our gems whenever they are damaged; it should heal you as well." Garnet adjusted her glasses after she spoke and nodded.

"Are you sure it will work?" I just wanted some assurances

Garnet shrugged before picking me up like a sack of potatoes. From my position on her shoulder, I could see Amethyst gathering the rest of my parts. Rose stood a few paces behind Pearl who had her hand over her mouth, her eyes looking from my limbs back to myself.

Garnet started to walk to the warp pad, the others following along.

"Steven we are Gems. To you humans, we are nigh immortal with no concept of aging or sickness. Your lives are a blink in our lifetime."

Okay, so that tells me what?

Garnet continued, "During all this time the Fountain of Pink has remained hidden from your kind, but it has always been able to heal a cracked gem, and early tests on organics have shown it to be able to revitalize life."

So what, "It's the fountain of youth?"

"It is a fountain of healing Steven."

"Yes but you have been on earth since cavemen roamed so excuse me for having some expectation that you all know some basic human lore... A fountain that can heal anything is pretty common in legends. Ponce De Leon was the most famous for searching for it in the Caribbean Islands before the great explosion of the Rossija"

I hear Rose click her tongue before commenting softly, "The Country of Rose huh?"

"Yes, the large battlefield we fought on." Garnet explained calmly to Rose who seemed to stiffen before she turned a harsh look in my direction.

Rose then began pulling Pearl away, but instead, Pearl snatched her arm away from Rose and walked towards me and Garnet. I looked into her large eyes as she blinked back at me. Almost as if searching for something, a look I had never seen on her face.

All was silent for a moment before Purple butted in, "Well let's go already!"

Pearl jolted before she reached out and pushed Garnet the last few steps towards the teleporter. Leaving the pile of the rest of… me with the others. Purple caught on quickly though because the next thing I knew she was next to Garnet with my arms and legs in her arms as we flashed away to who knows where.

As we traveled through the warp stream, my mind wandered. How am I going to move if this doesn't work out? I can only worm to places now. There is no running or jumping, just a kind of wiggle and that is no way to protect myself.

Before my mind could continue that train of thought Garnet lightly patted my head, "It will work Steven."

How would you know?

A small chime sound echoed as we landed on another warp pad.

All around us where Hibiscus flowers and thorny rose bushes.

The thorns of the roses seemed to be choking the life out of the Hibiscus bushes any way they could but the Hibiscus bushes seemed to fight to co-exist in the same place. In my head, the rose bushes were out of control and the whole area needed a gardener to give everything its proper place.

Garnet walked toward a large vine wall in determination. Pearl not far behind pulled out a spear from her gem and stepping quickly around Garnet began hacking us through the thorn jungle to take us to what looked to be a fountain.

"This place used to be so beautiful" Pearl commented while looking over the remains of the fountain. Vines and plants have Long since overtaken the walls and the ruins of what must have been a statue sat in the center was almost completely unrecognizable.

The statue was of a large female, standing solemnly, tears falling out of her eyes like two rivers. An image came to mind of a fair-skinned woman with puffy star-shaped hair, dressed in a Regal lehenga in sheer pinks, and rose gold with sparkling crystal roses spreading shoulder to shoulder and hip to knee. The cloth cascaded like a waterfall at her hips exposing her stomach leaving the sparkling diamond gem on display. I felt pain from my stomach before the vision faded leaving the cracked and ancient statue in front of me.

Garnet carried me closer to the statue and I was in awe of what it used to be. There was obviously so much care put into the sculpture's features, the damage to it seemed to have had less to do with age and more deliberate. The light pink waters that poured from the statue's eyes created a large pool of water that- _gravity took over._

I quickly held my breath as I sank to the bottom of the unclean fountain. A few splashes later and my body parts landed on top of me.

From the bottom, I could faintly see the face of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl looking back at me through the ripples of water.

The pain I didn't know I was feeling left me as the light started to glow from around me. White noise in the back of my head of Glass grinding against one another ceased for just a moment, alerting me to its presence. As one my body parts inserted themselves back to where they belonged.

My lungs suddenly screamed out for air as my mind caught up to the rest of my bodily functions, and with a mighty push, I was standing in the fountain pink tears falling from my eyes mixing with the rest of the waters below.

I was whole again, and I just felt like crying.

I… I'm not going to die.

This time when darkness came to me, It was out of relief, not fear.

The void greeted me, all was calm and I felt nothing but relief.

Then I started to hear something, the sound of glass falling to the ground, shattering.

With a start, I felt myself getting dragged up by the back of my shirt dragging me up and out of the fountain. I could barely see anything as my lungs screamed at me when I felt a sharp pain in my cheek. "Steven! Breathe!" a blurry Purple smacked my face repeatedly.

I started coughing the salty water out of my mouth when Pearl started talking, "Yes Steven I believe you require respiration to continue your functioning capabilities. The process of **respiration** -"

"What?" Purple deadpanned, still holding my up slightly.

"During which air is inhaled into the lungs through the mouth or nose due to muscle contraction and then exhaled due to-"

"NERD!" Purple shouted off to Pearl. Her cheeks puffing out in frustration for a second before she continued her explanation, "...muscle relaxation. Respiration is a **word** for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between-" "Yea no we are not doing this!" Purple quickly pulled me to my feet while shapeshifting into Pearl.

PurPearl started to dance around suggestively, seeming to take enjoyment from seeing Pearl visibly fuming.

"Amethyst! Honestly, you should take learning seriously. Respiration is honestly quite fascinating really, most organic life performs some act of respiration even trees." Pearl explained. PurPearl mumbling beside me all the while, "blah blah blah."

While Pearl droned on attempting to continue her scientific conversation while PurPearl tuned her out, I could feel the blood in my head pulse, small noises were becoming louder and louder.

"Freaking Tinnitus." I pulled at my ears to attempt and get the water out. I thought about jumping back into the fountain for a moment.

When I was inside soaking all noise stopped and I couldn't even begin to explain the relief of not hearing glass shattering in the background. I had ignored it over the years but right now it felt like it was amplified.

I noticed some movement in my peripheral vision and felt someone lift up my soaked shirt. Snapping my head to the side I saw Pearl leaning in, much to close, to my gem.

Embarrassed I pushed her back a little and forced my shirt down over my modesty.

Pearl blinked for a moment, Purple chuckling back in her normal form, before composing herself again, "It appears you are still missing a part of yourself."

What? "I'm sorry?"

"Your gem it seems you are still missing a small fragment, You can't readily see it but on the far side of the gem you can see the cracks... While the healing waters can heal most cracks and fissures it looks like you are still missing a small portion." She gave me a solemn look, "You will never truly heal until we find the small piece and return it to you. Be glad you didn't shatter completely though, the fountain couldn't heal you then."

"How would I ever find it? I don't ever remember when I could have ever cracked it."

"A gem can crack many different ways. Falling, forceful hit, stress, anxiety... " As Pearl rattled on with different scenarios, I thought back to my time as a kid.

All those times I tried to fly jumping off the swings, all those times I tripped at school, and even all those times I attempted to parkour off boxes like the cool kids… Me pulling my hair out at failing tests, stressing out over making friends.

I always tried to land on my gem cause it hurt less than my face who knew my face would have been a better choice.

"Hey Ste-man you okay, you look like you are falling apart again." "AH!" The scream was not girly.

After I realized I was not falling to pieces, and mentally coming to terms I was in fact really stupid growing up. I watched Pearl scold Amethyst for a bit.

"Amethyst that was very rude." Garnet stated placing her hand on my shoulder. Her calm radiating and giving me steady comfort.

I heard the Chime of the teleporter and noticed Rose on her way towards us. Garnet patted my shoulder before stepping away to meet Rose.

A question popped in my head just then, "Garnet? What happens when a gem shatters?" Garnet stopped before the warp almost as if she was frozen at the mere thought or even that I could think to ask a question like that.

Garnet turned around and looked me over, I could practically feel her contemplating how to answer before she just spoke, "I suppose it's better if you learn this now. Follow me." Garnet beckoned me forward.

Purple stood quiet while Pearl looked confused. Rose however held a sneer on her face as she gazed towards Garnet. Garnet held her stoic expression as she placed a firm hand on my shoulder and pushed me forward to the Warp pad.

Garnet's stoic voice called out to the others before the feeling of weightlessness took over, "See you at the Palanquin."

The Warp light engulfed us. Within moments the many pillars of light all around greeted me. This time when gravity pushed back down on us I only stumbled slightly.

Around I spotted many stunning bushes with stunning snowball blooms. Viburnum carlesii, my mind supplied. Garnet led me through a few of the bushes onto a dirt path, when I spotted it.

A pink Gazebo sinking into vegetation, sharp pink spider-like legs broken and leaning onto the ground.

"Where...are we?"

"Korea."

That explains the shrubs at least. Wait that means- "Ko...Garnet, you poofed me out of the country! I don't even have my passport! Dad is going to go crazy!"

"Steven calm yourself you will be home before dinner." Ever stoically Garnet replied.

Well, fine I suppose warp pads are convenient...

"Ok fine tell me… East or West?

"Just Korea. Location does not matter."

Doesn't matter? East Korea is a- whatever.

I felt like something was cracking again as I looked over the wreckage. Phantom pain caused me to rub my back. I looked over to Garnet who seemed to be staring at me from behind her visor.

"Garnet why did you bring me here?"

"This is part of the story… Your story."

"My story?"

"This is where Rose Quartz shattered Pink Diamond, and the beginning of how you later became Steven Quartz Cutiepie Demayo Universe."

How does she know that embarrassing name? Actually whatever. More importantly who is-

"Pink Diamond?"

"Back on Homeworld where all Gems are originally from our race is a totalitarian regime. We are ruled by the supreme Gems known as the Diamond Authority. Pink Diamond is one of the four rulers and once she was the ruler of Earth."

Okay, right, I know some of this already, but the rulers are new.

"Who are the Diamond Authority?"

"They are the first Gems. The Supreme leader of the diamond authority is White Diamond; she is the oldest and a tyrannical perfectionist. She is crystal clear with no faults in her facets… Her idea of perfection. The two gems right under her Authority are Yellow and Blue Diamond."

"So what... color makes them Not as perfect?" Sounds... racist? Colorist?

"Blue Diamond is technically an off-color version of her sister taking the color from the level of Boron on the planet she was made from but otherwise perfectly cruel. Yellow takes her coloring from the intense levels of Nitrogen on the planet she consumed in her creation."

"Diamonds need whole planets?"

"The 4 sisters are said to have each needed a whole planet for their creation and took many years to formulate correctly. Their youngest sister however possibly...overcooked. Pink was the smallest and weakest of the three sisters she took several millennia to form and was under an intense amount of pressure and scrutiny upon her arrival. She was also prone to emotional outbursts never seen in the diamond court before."

"So she was...Special?" My ears started ringing and I suddenly felt… off.

Garnet hummed to herself, thinking on how to respond, "She was rather… Emotional, and prone to shattering any gem on one of her… off days."

"So why would Mom… kill her?"

"There was a rebellion. Gems that have been under control for too long saw an opportunity to rise up here on earth under Pinks tyrannical rule." Ḭ̶̒ ̵̃͜f̵̞͝i̷̮̐n̴͑͜ã̸͉l̷̲͝l̶̙͆y̸͍͆ ̸̬̓g̸̻̒õ̵̳t̴̙̍ ̴͚̚m̵̜̏ỹ̵̲ ̷̞̿o̸̤̊w̷̹͋n̶̫̅ ̵̨̾c̴͓͑ǫ̴̊l̷͉̈ȯ̵̮n̷͖̽y̵̝̾.̵̺͌ ̸͉̀T̸̮͝h̴̼̏i̷̢̇s̵͖̀ ̴͔̑i̶͍̅s̴̖̋ ̶̇ͅg̶̡̃ȍ̶͎i̴͈͑ṅ̵̮g̵̪̈́ ̸͓͠t̶̠̀o̶̻̔ ̸̢͝b̶̥̌ḙ̸͊ ̴̲̔ǵ̵͜r̷̙̈́e̶͓͑a̷̻͊t̴͍͂!̴̻̂ ̶̡̑A̵͉͑ḷ̵̕l̶̘̐ ̸̳͋t̸̀ͅh̶̗͐ë̷͖́ ̶̞́g̵͓̑e̷̖̿m̴̡̕s̸̛̳ ̶̜̍ẅ̸͚́i̵̤̍l̵̅ͅĺ̷̦ ̵̨͘f̸̨̔i̸̫̅n̷̨͝a̵̩͝l̶̦̋l̶̛̫y̸̱̒ ̴̹̃s̸̠͒e̷̱͠e̸̠͋ ̸̠̊t̵̠͋h̶̗́ë̵͇́ ̷̨͘r̷̮̽ė̷ͅa̵̮̅l̷̚ͅ ̴̪́m̸̻͛e̷̗̾!̵̣̓

I scratched the side of my head, "Rebellion?"

The sound of the warp behind us was ignored as Garnet replied, "The Rebellion or Gem War happened here 5,000 years ago back when the earth was still very new. It lasted roughly 1,000 years. It's official end being with the shattering of Pink Diamond." Garnet replied, adjusting her visor before she turned to look towards where we came, preparing for something.

"How did Mom do it?" I asked Garnet the shattering of the diamond must have been a catastrophe for all Gems. Mom killed a Princess of all gem kind.

Rose stepped around the opening deciding to reply to my question instead, "I shattered her with a sword one of my loyal companions made for me. A sword so strong it could shatter a diamond no matter where you hit. It's called the Breaking Point." She glared at me at the end before sliding her large pink sword from her gem, the edge was dark, and didn't seem to catch any light.

I was confused however, If what Garnet said was true how did she even get into a one on one battle with Pink?

"But how did you even get close enough? To get close to a princess during a war so easily. Something must have happened to all of her guards and advisors."

"She stabbed her in the back." a voice cracked from the warp. I looked over and there was Pearl shaking behind Rose. Her hands were twitching and I could begin to make out her lifeform shifting like static. Rose and Garnet seemed to be preparing for something as Pearl continued talking, "It was to be a talk of peace. My diamond… she extended her hand, her home, expecting to lead the rebel leader in to discuss the plans. She wanted the war to end. But when her back was turned…" Pearl was so distraught and her emotions so deep I was sure I could see the scene...

Pink welcomed Rose to her Palanquin smiling like friends talking.H̸͕̊o̷̞͌w̷̦̕ ̷͖̈́ț̸̀ò̴ͅ ̶̨̓s̶̜͆t̶̠͝o̶͈̓p̸͎͒ ̶͎͝ḿ̸͈y̵͓̏ ̶͉̽š̵̻i̴̭̿s̷̤͋t̶̳̃é̶̟r̵̖̒s̵͙̉ As Pink turned around she felt something, A large pink blade sticking into her back. Cracks everywhere. The sword is in her stomach. M̸̤̀ŷ̷̡ ̶͉̌f̷̻̂i̴̳̿r̸͍̂s̵̱̈t̷̗̓ ̶̡͌R̶̜̄o̴̮͑s̷̫̕ĕ̶̱

A loud sharp screech filled the air as Pearl- her body resembling a cracked mosaic- lunged towards Rose. Purple rushed around the fighting protecting me as Garnet and Rose attempted to fight off the deadly Pearl. Somehow Pearl seemed to have the upper hand twirling twin spears in her hands using their superior range to keep the two rebels at bay.

"What the heck is going on?"

Purple replied to me keeping her eyes on the fight, "I tried to keep her away but she said she needed to come here, and you know how she gets."

I really don't but, "Why would you need to keep her away?"

Pearl stabbed towards Garnet's face, a crack appearing in her visor as she barely leaped back in time.

"Pearls are an advisor and servant class for higher Gems. Our Pearl well. She is originally a homeworld gem and personally selected to work in the Diamond Authority Court. Well, she…"

Oh, I see where this is going, "She was Pink Diamonds Pearl… and it looks like she never got over her death."

"Or the role she played in it. She's a disgraced Pearl. If she ever tried to return to homeworld-"

"They would kill her… But shouldn't she already know all this?" I can't help but comment, "This was ages ago." Amethyst shrugged a little, "All I know is over time she starts to crack around us before we are forced to poof her. When she reforms she needs to relearn everything about humans and everything."

Memory loss?

I just couldn't help but frown.

I watched as Pearl continued to fight the two larger gems. Cracks and fissures growing all over her body as she became further and further angry and frustrated, tears flowing like rivers out of her eyes before suddenly without warning she became a puff of smoke and Garnet swiftly bubbled her cracking gem.

Garnet passed the bubble in her hand to Rose. She gently grabbed it from Garnet turning towards us.

After a moment Purple started clapping awkwardly beside me. I looked over to Garnet and asked, "Why would she attack you?"

Rose decided to reply, "She has never fully been able to shake her last order from her diamond. A Pearl's purpose is only to their authority and there is no higher authority than the Diamond. She has relapses and gaps in her memory because of this. She is broken far more than what you see on the surface. Mentally she is still under the power of Pink and wants to return home. Sadly it's not that we would not allow her to return to the homeworld. It's that we can't."

Based on everything they told me… "They would shatter her should she return. For more than just what happened to her diamond."

"It's a kindness for her not to remember right now." Garnet says softly, placing a hand on my shoulder as we watch Rose walk away with Pearl's gem held gently in her hands. "Let's go home."

* * *

**_AN Mark The Mark:_ ** Holy freaking shit. Do you know about those chapters that authors take forever to write and comes out just bad? This is that chapter. It took forever to write it all down. And I still don't like it.

Bottom line.

That chapter sucked to write. And I have COVID. YAY! Yeah, you read that right. There is a 3% chance you won't ever see the end of this story!

Don't worry you won't catch it from reading this. Hehe.

Anyway, the next chapter is already more than halfway finished, I just need to finish editing and go over the last few pages with Artemis.

The plot is picking up speed so here are the plans as we have them currently.

The great and lovable Peridot's first official appearance is in the next chapter as well as Lapis.

The Ocean Gem arc begins at the end of the next chapter, which should be 3-4 chapters, followed by…

Attack the Light.

What!? A FANFICTION THAT GOES OVER THE CANNON GAMES!? WHAT? AM I INSANE OR WHAT?!

No not insane, just sick.

 **_AN Artemis_hnr:_ ** Ignore him you will see the end of this story if I have to write it alone in his memory. Dark humor you have to love it. Lapi and dot will be here soon to bring everyone the warm fuzzies. And a cookie to anyone who can guess what is going on with Steven. How is Steven...Steven come on does anyone see it yet? Let us know in the comments below

 **_MtM ps:_ ** REVIEW plz.


	5. Episode 4: Orange Eyes and Talking Mirrors.

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

*Steven staring at them from down the beach*

* * *

**_Episode 4: Orange Eyes and Talking Mirrors._ **

It's bizarre how it happened really, after only one week I went from a studious Freshman to a anime magical boy with pink magical powers that goes around and collects or destroys ancient technology from a galaxy far far away. 

There is a reference there, but I’m not sure where…

Either way, I had settled into a bit of a routine these days. I would wake up before dad, set up his coffee machine to brew, step on out of the house, and jog down to the beach. From there I would stretch, use my powers a bit, pull out a comic, and then relax in the shade. 

Getting expelled from school has got to be the best thing that happened to me. 

Was it just me or was it getting brighter already… But it was Sunset -what in the?

It looked as if a comet was flying across the sky and it was getting closer. Like a second sun or a glowing orange orb coming in for a touchdown on our ocean from a not so distant future. Maybe bringing people with superpowers. Maybe I was staying up too late watching TV. The 6400 was a great show.

As my eyes adjusted to the light I noticed it resembled a large orange eye.

Orange eye? Who designed these things.

You know, despite the odd design, the idea of a space-faring sci-fi esque ship is pretty awesome. 

It’s about time humans started making worthy spacecraft. It's only been about 5000 years of development. Why just these past 50 years there has been a temporary standstill in the space-... Is it scanning the beach?

I watched as a red beam coming from the eyeship began scanning the beach. 

It stopped its scan and seemed to glide closer.

Why did I think it was a human ship again? It was obvious this was Gem business. I wonder what the gems are doing now though? Scanning the beach for some corrupted shrimp or something? 

Its slow descent seemed to have made an effect on the beach itself, people running away as the waves began hitting higher up the shore. 

I walked out of the cove and started to wave to the thing. Don't the gems know that doing something like this is just going to freak everyone out? Like, have some common decency you know? 

How are they even keeping that thing In the air, I don't see any propellers or engines. So it must be some kind of magnetic field…. Or anti-gravity. If that is even possible? 

While I stood there waving and contemplating its physics and design. I noticed Garnet further down the beach jump up in the air and… did she just throw Purple at it? 

As soon as the sacrificial lamb that was Purple hit the machine, all of beach city was bathed in an orange light coming from the, I suppose now hostile, Eye machine. It seemed to restart its scan of the beach, blinking as it looked directly at Purple as she swam to shore and Garnet who stood there with her gauntlets out.

When it turned to me I quickly raised my arms and covered my face, a geometric shield coming to life around me. 

The eye turned away after a blink and… is it charging a las-

There was a hum in the air as this orange beam of energy shot forth from the eye towards Garnet who leaped out of the way. 

The eye blinked and the beam turned off. A loud crack filled the air. 

Okay. This is happening.

The calm shuffling of people leaving the beach turned into a straight-up stampede as people screamed. I could faintly hear the Mayors van driving off, his loudspeakers still promoting his name. The eye ignored the humans thankfully and sent another blast toward the gems. Garnet leaped out of the way again from the crack of the beam.

Right, it's time to do something again.

I pulled my hair in irritation and let out a yell in frustration. “I’m going to need so much therapy if I live through this!” I yell as I bubble myself and rolled down the beach like a hamster in my little ball. It is my favorite go-to move the ball being indestructible minus the negative effect of tinnitus whenever someone hits the bubble on the outside, its murder on my ears.

I saw the Eye ready another beam Garnet and Purple did not look to have any defenses to hide behind and that just would not do. As the Eye released another beam to the beach I rolled into place and with a clap of my hand, my bubble expanded out into a tall wall of interlocking geometric refracting crystals. The wall expanded tall and wide by several stories protecting Purple, Garnet, and the statue of the giant woman.

The energy beam hit the wall with interlocked hexagon shapes with a resounding blast. Smoke billowed from the spot of the impact that pushed the crystal gems back. I glared up at the Eye taking on a pink hue once again. 

“How do we ground that thing?” 

“Well I threw Amethyst at it and it didn’t even put a dent in it.” Garnet stated

“Yea! It must have some kind of shield or its super reinforced dude. The only thing getting through that is a fracking cannon.” Purple shouted over the sound of another beam hitting the shield. 

“We can’t stay behind this shield all day, we will be sitting ducks! Garnet where can we find a Gem Cannon?”

“Rose had one years ago but she had it put away for safekeeping.”

“And where is my mother.”

“I believe she went...Dancing.”

“Unbelievable. Earth is being invaded by flying eyeballs and she decides to go clubbing... with my dad right?” I shouted as another beam hit my shield. I was already beginning to sweat. We needed a plan. Looking over to Garnet and Purple both who looked concerned. Garnet turned to me as if she expected me to- “You got this Steven, what should we do.” AGH!

“Me! Why do you want me in charge!” I take back everything I have ever said about Garnet being "Best mom!"

“I believe in you Steven it's time to trust in your abilities.” Garnet said as she readied her gauntlets and nodded to Purple who pulled out her whip. 

Believe in my abilities. I don’t even know what I can truly do with them. However, I think I have watched enough action movies to have a basic concept of strategy. 

Clumping up together just makes us easy targets. 

After every shot from the eyeball, it takes a moment to blink and I don't believe it can see us while it's attacking. Seeing the eyeball charging the Beem again, I looked at my companions.

“On my signal Scatter!”

Garnet and Purple nodded as the Eye got brighter.

“Wait for it…” The Eye was almost White with the glow of the beam

“Wait for it.” I could feel all my hair rise spiking from all the energy in the air

“Scatter! “ I shouted, clapping my hands in front of me. My shield now had a curve to it and I pushed it forward to meet the eyes blast as Garnet jumped left and Purple jumped right.

The three of us now we're on different ends of the beach with me at the center. The problem was Garnet and Purple had no way to hit the thing, some ranged attacks with the eyeball floating so far away from reach. 

If I could give something for Garnet to throw or punch we would have more range with her. 

Purple’s whip was fantastic but she needed something to slingshot. Like David against the Goliath.

Just then at the worst possible time, my phone started to jingle “ _I know I'm not that tall, I know I’m not that smart..._ ” Not now! 

“Dad now's not the best time.”

“Steven remember the white cylinder with all the flower designs on it that we had in the house.” Why would he-

“You mean the impractical thing that we never had a use for?” I said as I watched the Eyeball open up

“Yea whatever happened to it?” 

I wrapped myself up in my shield, and shouted, “We got rid of it!”

I started to run in my Gem ball again Drawing the eyes' attention. 

That pillar thing was so damn useless It was too heavy to be a doorstop, too tall as an umbrella stand, dad used it as a “keep away/timeout stand” to put my toys on top of until I figured out how to climb it. 

We had it as a nightlight for a while because it responded to the Porkchop thing my dad always said.

“Is there a reason you need it right now?”

“Because I just found out it was a Cannon. Your mom needs it for “Gem” business.” Seeing the Eye shoot another blast towards me I threw up another Wall.

It was a WHAT?

The Energy hit the wall but the force of my wall going forward spread the energy away from the beach and back out into the ocean. The Eye closed to blink or gather more energy.

“Steven what was that!”

“Kind of fighting for my life on the beach dad so tell Rose and Pearl we need them back here.”

“They need the Cannon. Before they can help.”

“Try the Dump dad!” I shouted as I covered my ears as the Blast from the Eye-beam threw me across the beach towards Garnet. I popped my bubble right before I could hit her and she caught me. I lost my phone somewhere in the sand. 

I was going to have to look for it later. If I survived this battle that is. 

So far what I noticed about the eye is it takes about half a minute to charge before it releases the energy beam. 

The eye does not see when it fires its beam, or it can’t track us during its attack. 

And finally, when the eye releases its laser beam a segment of the ship opens to release the built-up energy. 

Maybe if we can get in the ship when the shields are down we can take it out from the inside. 

“Purple! Flail!” I shouted to her bubbling myself in a giant Hamster Ball with spikes. Purple nodded as she wrapped my ball up in her whip. 

“Steven how is this going to help?!” Purple shouted while Garnet grabbed onto her seeming to know my idea before I even explained it, “I’m going to throw him. You need to release the whip when we gather enough energy to get him to the ship.” Garnet said as she lifted purple off the ground.

“When the eye shoots its energy beam its open. You are going to shoot me inside.”

“Steven that's suicide you don’t know who or what is in there!” Purple commented, Garnet, getting ready to spin her, and by proxy me.

“Well, we are just going to have to try. Dad and Rose are not going to find the Cannon in time.”

“Garnet!” Purple looked over to her, pleading.

“I see too many futures but this would be the one that succeeds.”

“And in the others?”

“We are shattered by the beam and Homeworld colonizes the earth.”

“Homeworld!?” Who knew Purple’s voice could crack that high.

“Purple we don’t have the time to bicker amongst ourselves.” I stated as the eye built up energy again. Purple tucked her legs over Garnet's arms to stay steady as she held her whip tight. 

I leaned back in my bubble and closed my eyes trying to keep from puking. Garnet begins to spin several times as the energy in the eye builds brighter and brighter. I saw the light become almost white when I shouted out.

“NOW!” Garnet let go of Amethyst who held her whip. Amethyst flew through the air with the flail. As the eye starts to release the beam she kicks the bubble ball releasing the whip before she falls into the ocean.

As the light was about to release I flew into the eye like a grain of sand, the eye began to blink as if to cry me out. The force of my ball and the combined power of Garnet and Purple crashed me through the crystal wall with a resounding shatter. Around me several small crystal spheres jumped into action spitting green viscous fluid at the wall I crashed through. The Green goo quickly repaired the wall as if I never crashed through it. 

I was in a hallway of some kind, green orbs with spider-like legs were running all around seeming to spit goo on several exposed areas of the ship.

I popped my bubble as the orbs seemed to have ignored me and started to walk down the hall towards an opening where I could hear various beeps. Inside I found several more marbles clicking about the room and then… _I saw you._

_Wait. You were the CLOD who-_

_Yeah yeah, let me continue._

There was a bright shining green female in front of several rectangular lights. Her hair stood up in the shape of a triangle and her… fingers were floating away from the screen. She did not have a body or even a palm, just cylinder arms and floating fingers.

“Log date 1.1.2: I have arrived on this nowhere planet and initial scans indicate there is gem life on the planet. Gems appear to be hostile. A large Abomination threw a defective Amethyst at the Ship. The Scans indicate the Amethyst was overcooked. This Amethyst is dwarfed in comparison to perfect cuts. Imagine, a soldier the size of an era two peridot?! nyehehehe. Ahem. The initial scan of the Abomination reads a fusion of two separate gem cuts. These old scanners are however unable to determine their class, Era one tech is just the worst… Another Gem was found on the initial scan Cut to be determined but the scan indicates several flaws. The gem is most likely off-colored or damaged. Further details are to be determined.”

A marble pushed against my leg a few times. I assumed I was blocking its way so I lifted my leg and it carried on past me towards the screen with the female. It floated up and became another screen. 

“Hull breach secured. Energy will need to build again before the next attack sequence. If all goes according to plan. This Red Eye ship would have served two purposes: The cleansing of the planet of hostile gems and its initial scanning purpose.” 

You know, her nasally voice is sorta… cute? 

“Facet-2F5L, Cut-5XE states it couldn’t be done. What. A. Clod. Nehehehehehe. That dumb Era-One doesn’t even know what she is talking about. I will show her that I will surpass my station and into my Diamonds favor. The next mission will be to secure the Warp from homeworld to this planet which should be completed in a day, super easy, barely an inconvenience. The final mission before arrival is to relaunch the kindergarten. Once I get this planet back on track I will examine the cluster and My Diamond will have to reward me. I will have succeeded where all others have failed!” 

Wait what am I doing just standing here listening?

I could feel myself becoming enraged I would not let them start another invasion on m̷͇̓ŷ̵̰ planet. I grabbed the nearest object, a Marblenoid, off the floor on its way to another location looking off to the side. I found a brightly colored what appeared to look like a power source. An orange crystal glowing brightly. Taking the marble I chucked it full force at the crystal and watched it shatter. 

“What! No! Stupid Clodding Era One-”

The screen with the female fizzled away and with a glare at all the marbles in my proud pink glory I began to point at them, “Turn off the Eye cannon or join your friend in being shattered.” 

The marbles seemed to ignore me and instead remained motionless, before one by one they dropped down to the floor. 

Uhh… Now what.

I walked further into the cockpit of the ship and saw a viewing screen. On the beach, I could see Garnet and Purple, the ship’s viewing screen frozen on them. The two looked sharply to their left and I could see them shouting. The view was too far away for me to make out who they were speaking with. 

“Who are they talking to?”

At my question, Rose and my dad stepped into the screen. Rose took my Dad's hand as Garnet and Purple pointed to the ship. Almost as if she knew I was watching her she turned to the ship and pointed her…. Cannon at it. 

Wait. She… She was pointing the fucking cannon at me!

It's not much of a revelation and honestly, I wasn't going to parse words or phrases. I am not ashamed to state that at that moment I could have shit myself. My mother would shoot me out of the fucking sky. Honestly, my gut dropped and I know I Pinked out in a full-blown panic. 

Shit. fuck. Shit shit.

I grabbed a marble bot and its legs bubbling it and started to bolt out of the Ship. I looked at the Wall I was running for. I could see I was running for a wall but I prayed that what I planned to do would not end with me having a concussion and mom blowing me to bits. That was not a crystal wall that was paper and I am as strong as _**Diamonds**_. I threw a hand out in front of me and a Geometric Cone blew a hole into the wall and I jumped through it. 

I jumped from the ship blindly, not concerned for the fall or what I would find below me, just that staying on the ship was no option. Keeping my feet strong below me I fell into the Ocean. I did not feel the crash or the chill of the water. I was in a bubble that was rising to the surface, I just ran inside the bubble until I hit the shore. 

On the Shore, Purple waved to me excitingly as I slid to a stop on the sand. 

“Dude! That was sick! How did you do that?!” 

I glanced over to see Garnet forcefully talking to Rose while my dad rushed to me and held me close. “Stewball don’t you ever do anything like that again! I don’t think my heart could take it.” He shouted, holding me to his chest. 

“Garnet stop. He’s fine, he's out of the ship.” Rose shouted as she set up her cannon. 

My dad let me go to turn to his Giant woman and smile. 

“I thought she was going to shoot me out of the damn sky.” 

“Steven, she's your mother.”

“No, she is just the oven I came out of.”

“So you continue to remind me. However, she didn’t shoot you out of the sky now did she.”

“Come on Steven you are going to want to see this!” Purple shouted, dragging me to stand next to Rose and the cannon. 

“If every Porkchop were perfect we wouldn’t have hotdogs.” Rose said with a smirk on her face as she winked at Greg.

There was no bang from the cannon as it let loose the power it had been gathering, there was barely even a crack as the air left the path of the beam. The beam itself seemed to change shape as it sailed through the air, forming what appeared to be Rose Quartz herself rearing her fist back at the tip of the beam. Right before it connected to the eye It attempted to blink and shield itself using its armored “eyelid” but to no avail. 

The Light Rose Quartz flung her fist forward and the machine seemed to cave in on itself and exploded. 

Like a firework, it exploded into a great big flash of light. Parts of the machine sailed through the air, most crashing down into the water, but several chunks flew down across the boardwalk and nearby buildings.

A cheer broke out of my throat and I turned to dad, "That. Was. Awesome!" The gems gathered around Rose, who was still holding onto the smoking cannon over her shoulder, giving her congratulations.

She seemed pretty cool like that.

Then something dawned on me.

That cannon fired at that thing my dad says all the time, meaning it could have blown up the house every day, and much more pressing...

"Guys!"

If we destroyed the machine then- why aren't they looking at me.

"Guys! What about the girl piloting it!" That got their attention. "She was writing up a report or something!" 

"Steven. That was a Red Eye, there are no pilots in those machines." Garnet replied, stoically as usual.

“Then what are these things?” I asked, holding up the bubble of the Marble things that were working on the ship. I know I am not insane. I saw a girl piloting the ship before I guessed I blew up her screen or relay. 

“Homeworld has taken an interest in Earth again.” Rose said with a glare in my direction.

“Rose there is no way to communicate with the Homeworld here on earth.” Garnet says stoically 

“Why then! Why of all times does Homeworld want to come back!” 

“Rose, it's been thousands of years it was bound to happen. I told you this before.”

“Why is Homeworld coming to Earth such a bad thing? If it's been thousands of years things are bound to have changed."

“Steven, that's the thing about Homeworld Gems. They don’t change. There is no such thing as ‘Character development’ with Homeworld Gems. I mean look at me, I am full of character Development.” Purple said as she tapped the gem on her chest looking around. "And you know what builds character? Good old clean up."

What? 

I looked around and noticed a large portion of the metal that made up that Eye had taken residence inside the parts of the boardwalk and nearby stores.

Oh.

And so the night ended with us piling all the Eye near the Temple. 

Garnet and Rose both walked out into the ocean carrying all the pieces of the ship out from the depths while myself, dad, and Purple focused on cleaning the beach. After a couple of hours, I noticed beachgoers return and take in the destruction. Shop owners began making calls while others began to lend their hand in helping.

At the end of the day, an exhausted Greg led me to our van and we returned home.

* * *

A few days pass in the cycle. We worked on the beach clean up and honestly with how quickly the gems worked to smash the fallen Crystal ship to smaller pieces and dad's van they were able to clean it up quickly and make a profit off the “Homeworld crystal rock”. 

That's probably how they have supported themselves over the years. At least I think so anyway. Dad was able to buy a new van with the profit and make plans with an engineer to build a beach house near the statue of the giant woman which surprisingly appears to have started receiving some much needed TLC. I could see various scaffolds around the statue and large areas looked to have been scrubbed and polished. 

A large sign was being hung off one of the scaffolds. “Mayor Dewy for reelection I care about our Monuments!” 

Really? Well, at least that explains all the work being put into it now… Re-Election season. 

Damn Politics.

I could see Garnet shaking her head from below the scaffolds as she watched the sign get positioned into place. 

“Am I missing something?”

“Pearl started cleaning when the little rat-like man made a few calls. He says he will be taking over the...maintenance.” 

“That's a good thing right?” 

“Sure Steven. Also, talk to the Mirror.” Garnet says as she walked away and teleported off to god knows where.

Why is she speaking in riddles? 

I turn away from Mayor Dewey's over-compensation to see Purple making faces at me, “Can I help you?”

“Hold on my dude. I got something for you.” She ran away towards her gem door. A few minutes later I could hear shouting. A few seconds after that and the door opened with a snap and Pearl started throwing things out of it. 

I was extremely concerned as from where I stood I saw what looked like very old random objects flying through the air. Wooden antique chairs, hats from the 70s, trash of various kinds such as oil drums, tires, and of course what looked like an iron cannon straight out of the civil war…

Let's not forget the small silver mirror that pelted me in the face, and I reflexively caught before it hit the ground…

Talk to the mirror?

I heard a shout as I looked up to see Purple shoving Pearl out of her room. 

“Pearl for the last time stop! My space is my own, don't touch anything in my room.” I could see the visible lines of frustration on her face.

Pearl however seemed just as annoyed, “I was just organizing the room. I don't understand how my Rose expects you to find anything in there among the mountains of Human junk.” 

“Pearl I told you already I have a system just... Please. Don’t touch anything in my room.” she begged.

Pearl wasn’t having any of it, “There is no logical system I can think of that makes that room workable. It is not by color or year, everything is just piled… In piles!”

“Pearl! My space!” Purple rushed in her room and Pearl rushed after, “My Rose will hear of this!”

The door snapped shut and I was left alone along with the random piles of junk and the Mirror in my hands. 

This is what being forgotten feels like, huh.

Í̶̪ ̷̘͊f̷͕̒ȇ̴͎ë̸̹́l̸̙̕ ̶̤̎l̷̤̂ȋ̶̲k̸̠̏ē̵͓ ̶͓͌I̶͚͒ ̸̞̍f̸͇͘ö̴̢́r̴̥͊g̴̖͐ȏ̷̖ẗ̵̖́ ̸̪͠s̴̬̅o̷̻̐m̷̪̚e̶͈͐t̸͔͘h̵̖̐i̴̢͝n̵̝͆ģ̴̊.̷̲̆.̸̫͠.̷̑ͅ 

Thinking back on what Garnet said about talking to a mirror I looked back at it. On the back, there was a large blue gem with a crack going right through it. “Other than the broken gem this is a really beautiful mirror."

What gem was this anyway? Looks pure blue, somewhat smooth despite the crack… Not a Sapphire, ah. I̵t̴'̶s̵ ̵a̸ ̸L̸a̴p̶i̸s̷ ̸L̷a̸z̸u̷l̴i̶. 

Wait, does this mean this is a Mirror Gem? Can inanimate objects be Gems? 

Holy crap did I just murder an Eye Gem yesterday?

Looking at the mirror in thought, I heard the door snap open again so I turned to watch Pearl stomping away in a huff. Purple looked at the various items that had been thrown out of her room with a sour expression before she started picking items up and throwing them back inside. Walking over to Purple I started to pick up various items as well to assist her. When I was close enough to her I gave her a half-smile.

“Hey, would you mind if I borrow this?” I asked, holding up the Mirror.

“Sure go right ahead. I’ll give you some stuff next time I need to deal with this.”

“Uh, sure thing.” I said as I decided to leave the beach. I took the mirror and headed down the boardwalk. I skipped over some holes still left over from the Eyeships crash. I found an empty bench to sit on to examine the mirror. It was a silver mirror with a small handle. The glass was the clearest silver I have ever seen. It shifted and swam almost as if it was liquid but was solid to touch reflecting my face in the geometric shapes. 

“So hello…. Mirror…. My name is Steven.” I said as I leaned back waiting for a response “Yea I didn’t think you would say anything back. What did I expect you to say _‘Hello, Steven I’m a magical Mirror here to give you all of life's answers.’_ ?” 

I grumbled as I started tapping the glass. “I hope you aren’t broken.” I said as I flipped the mirror over and ran my finger over the Crack in the Gem. 

“You probably won't say anything until your gem is fixed and that probably can’t happen without the magical pink water from the fountain. Man, I don’t want to go back to the Teleporter.” I said as I looked the mirror over, “Damnit Garnet with your horrible vagueness.” Looking out at the boardwalk and the mess. There was nothing I would be able to do out here. And I should probably get back home soon. 

“Who am I kidding? I don’t know what I’m doing. Maybe Garnet wants me to just talk out loud to myself. Like a therapy exercise. Spill my life story to a mirror and the mirror is like having someone listen to me.” 

I don’t need therapy, Garnet.

“I can attempt to work out all my deep repressed self-loathing and mommy issues to my reflection and see what comes out of it. Right mirror?”

No response.

“Right ok... So where do I start? How about let's start with the basics.” 

I cleared my throat before, “Hi my name is Steven Quartz Demayo Universe and I have a problem... My problem is that I have pink light powers. My dad doesn’t have that, but my mom does, and she hates me. Do you understand that feeling? My mom hates me so I'm trapped in this dysfunctional family. It started with the damn Crystal Gems. If Rose Quartz never existed as far as I know all of the world's problems would be solved. My dad could have had a kid with any of the other gems. I mean Garnet would have been perfect. I mean All kinds of gems exist in the universe. Why not a Garnet, a Peridot, a Spinel for crying out loud would have been better. Why Rose Quartz?”

No response, I just sighed to the air and let the mirror resting on the bench next to me.

“I do not see what my dad sees in her. There is not a single entity in the entire universe who hates me more than she does and she’s my _mom_. She doesn’t want anything to do with me. Every time she sees me she looks like nothing would make her happier than for me to disappear.” I picked the mirror up again and looked back at the glass.

“Do you ever just I don't know question your very existence Mirror? Like why in the world you exist or how you came to be where you are now. I seem to question that every day. I kind of wish my dad married and had more kids. Then I would have someone to be with. A Family that loves and trusts me and wants me in their life. It would be…. Nice, you know.”

Well, I do feel a little better talking about this to myself.

Thanks, Garnet I guess...

“Right, so let's hop off that topic for a bit. The Crystal Gems came into my world and basically destroyed everything and now I’m being dragged around on life-threatening adventures having to risk my neck to do random things, like fight shrimp, and what's worse is there is no training. I just had my powers show up one day and suddenly ‘Hey you are good enough to join our squad of gemmy misfits. Don’t die when you go on this adventure and we don’t tell you how to do things.’ Like what the heck. I just wish I had someone here to give me all the answers.”

I dropped the mirror back on my lap and leaned back.

“Yeah. That would be nice.”

Then I heard myself speak,“-expect, _‘Hello, Steven I’m a magical Mirror here to give you all of life's answers.’_ ”

I didn’t scream like a little girl.

But I did throw the mirror up in the air off my lap and barely caught it before the damn thing shattered on the ground. “You do talk?!”

“Hello, Steven…….” My reflection said, the background viewing the beach. I turned around to see the shops behind me…

Huh.

Looking in the mirror over again I leaned my head back to think about this conundrum. So it copies whatever it’s seen and can playback whatever it wants? Very much like that ‘Hornet-car-robot’ that uses its radio to communicate. 

“Ok let's try something different. Yes or no questions till you have heard enough to answer more. Are you a Gem?”

“Yes.”

“Are you a…” It was some kind of blue gem….

“Lapis?”

“My name is... Lapis?”

“Have you always been a mirror?”

“No.” 

Time passed as I asked Lapis several questions about… Herself? Himself? Itself?

All I learned was that it was trapped in the mirror and her gem was cracked afterward and that trying to free it would break the mirror unless she was healed… however no matter what I asked it either couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me why it was imprisoned in a mirror.

“Are you a murderer?”

“NoNoNoNoNoNoNONONO!” Hearing myself yell at me over a hundred times sucked.

Do I sound that whiney?

Either way, I promised myself and the Mirror not to accuse it of anything… for now at least.

With this gem being cracked it’s more or less trapped anyway until I can bring it to the fountain. Which I won’t do until the gems tell me who this is anyway.

I’m not going to be an accessory of escape to a prisoner. No siree.

I switched to topics of myself after I ran out of questions to ask the Lapis. I told it about the Crystal Gems, being met with some recorded laughter and curse words from the mirror, it is not a fan. I told the mirror about Rose and reiterated my distrust of her. I told it about Garnet and how I trusted her more. How Garnet made me feel safe and protected. I told it how annoying Purple could be but how she was like the older sister I never asked for but kind of needed. Then I told it about Pearl, how odd she was, calm collected one moment, freaking out the next, and now back to being calm and controlling. I told it of the misadventures I have witnessed with the Gems, and of the Red Eye ship we took down a few days ago. 

“So now gems from Homeworld might be coming to earth. I’m worried honestly but at the same time, I feel like this is very important. Mom should answer for what she did but at the same time, I do not want the earth destroyed. This is my home and I like it here. It may not be as amazing as a crystalline world but organic life can be just as amazing if you know what to look for…”

By now I noticed how the time flew by, the sun was starting to set and dad must be freaking out. I'm not home already...

“Oh boy, it's getting late. I should take us home.” 

I secured the mirror to my backpack, making sure to give Lapis the best field of view I could, can't imagine she has been out much being inside Purple’s trash room for who knows how long.

When I got home I could see my dad stressing out by the door. He looked ready to pull his hair out which honestly with his receding hairline was a Bad Idea. He didn’t need any more stress, and who knows how stressed he would be if he lost his rocker hair... 

When I set down my bag I faced the mirror towards us rather than the wall, no need to put the mirror in the corner.

I looked to my dad who placed a hand on my shoulder. “Steven I think I need you to stay away from Gem stuff for a bit. Just stay at home for a few days and take a breather. You know, see people for a while.”

Huh?

“But I do see people...”

“Steven I have an appointment with a Therapist set up for you.”

Ỉ̴̡̘̦͌ ̵̛̛̮̞̫͌̐ͅd̷͍̦̊ȍ̶̦̜̇͝n̴̹̎̈̂'̵̠̏͝ẗ̵̝͕̪̱́̀͊ ̴̼͕̯̖̈̉ṉ̸̭͛̏͜é̴̢̜̪̳̈́̀̕è̸̥͑d̶̘͐ ̷̲̓t̶͓̤́̾h̸̠̠͇̞̑̋e̷̛͕̺͈͗r̷̖̉ȃ̶̤p̷̱͉̹̈́̌̾ͅý̷̱̿̈́͆!̶̖̟̜̽̐

“You got me a shrink?!”

“He's someone for you to talk to. He's new to beach City and he and his wife are setting up their practice here. They even have a Daughter your age who they homeschool. You will finally have someone to talk to during the day.” My dad tried to goad me with the idea of friendship. 

Which sounds nice, I haven't spoken to anyone from school for a few weeks... 

But I know I don’t want to see a damn shrink. 

“Steven... speaks... with... Lapis.”

“What the hell is that?!”

Oh right, I should have told him the mirror talks… The mirror is going in the corner next time.

* * *

 **AN: Mark the Mark:** Well these past few weeks SUCKED, still suck. Not going to talk about it, but I'm glad to see we are getting a lot of people reading and commenting now. You all are the best.

As promised Lapis and Peri both made their first appearance in the story, 

**AN: Artemis_HNR:** I still say Lapis could have waited till the next chapter because I think we had a good ending earlier in the script but Mirror girl was flipping us off and started cursing and being extremely unhappy so we decided to cave and let her finally have her appearance. *MtM: that was me flipping you off about me keeping my word dammit.*

Thank you all so much for your reviews it really gave us the gas we needed to try and put out this next chapter. Please keep reviewing. We love to hear from you. 

**MtM** : REVIEWS ARE OUR LIFE BLOOD. WITHOUT IT COVID WILL KILL ME!

 **A_HNR** : Don’t say that you actually are sick and I don’t want the readers thinking you are making light of a serious situation

 **MtM:** THIS STAYS IN THE STORY! 

_If I could begin to be_

_Half of what you think of me_

_I could do about anything_

_I could even learn how to love-_

* * *


	6. Episode 5: Boardwalk Chaos

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

* * *

**Episode 5:** **Boardwalk Chaos**

“So let me get this straight. The Mirror is a gem teacher?” The tone dad gave almost made me laugh, he is so done with this.

“Yeah Lapis here knows a bunch of things about the gems. Did you know they are Aliens? That  _ I am _ an Alien?” 

As if to prove it the mirror repeated my voice back up to us, “Y̶͕͈̽̽͝eah- I̶ - k̷nows - t̷̺̟͋hings.” 

I just watched as dad started rubbing the bridge of his nose. I knew he could see the obvious Flaw in this situation. Lapis could only repeat back what she heard and how it was said she had no voice of her own; no tone or infection and I could not talk to her 24/7 so she could pick up a higher vocabulary. I did not want to leave her in a voiceless limbo however, there has to be a way to help her. 

“Steven I don’t know how to feel about this. I really want you to get away from Gem Stuff for a while. This is not really helping with that...” 

“I know that's what  _ you _ want dad. But  _ I _ want to help my new friend.”

“Yes but how? She can’t really tell you what she needs right now.”

“That's true, maybe I can pull out a dictionary and read it to her. She can pick up a lot of words that way.”

“Stewball… that sounds so- why don’t you just stick her in front of the T.V for a few days. We can put on the news and she can get some real world knowledge and pick up more vocabulary, and you can spend time with your human friends.”

While that would work… the news?

“But the news is so depressing…. Ooooo I know! PTV!” 

There is the CP Forever marathon going on. Yeah… Great idea Steven!

“PTV? Steven isn't that station a little dated? I don’t think all those soap operas are going to help her out too much, wouldn’t that just give her a bad idea of humans?”

Blasphemy! Heresy! How dare he!

“What do you mean?!" I coughed lowering my voice before continuing, "It totally will show her all of us humans are amazing! It will show her the meaning of Love, Friendship, Adventure, Fighting against a corrupt system, and staying true to your heart!”

“Yea… I wouldn’t be too sure about that… all that’s in that show?” He just scratched the back of his head confused.

That's what you get for falling asleep all the time dad, you miss the story and subtext! Time to educate!

“The amazing PTV Channel runs from five to eight am of the Classic CPH runs. Nine to twelve it runs the Kid Friendly Pinning shows Pinning Heart Explorers, The Pinning Rangers, and Little Pinning Hearts. One to five has the Reboots, movies and some news. Six to nine Has Pinning Hearts High, Pinning Hearts Island, And Pinning Hearts Exchange. There's also the ten to four Late night shows with Pinning Hearts After Dark and that can get a bit...” 

I slowly trailed off when I noticed dad was blankly staring with a frown on his face.

“Ok Steven do I need to put on parental controls again or stop paying for the channel?"

After a moment of silence he sighed, "Just, stick your friend in front of the TV in your room to make sure she's not going to… tip over or anything. Then we'll talk."

“Come on Lapis I’m going to introduce you to the best television station in all the Galaxy.”

“PPTH!!!” Lapis makes a raspberry noise on the way up the stairs, "And have her knock that off!" 

Lapis just echoes my laugh a few times as I start to set her up in front of the Television in my room.

Thanks for laughing at my Dad. I’m never going to hear the end of it now. 

I grab a Donut pillow to help hold her up along with a few collectable Crying breakfast toys to hold her straight and steady. I pulled the cabinet with the TV close to my bed and turned it on to the CPTv.

“Ok Lapis have fun, stars know I won’t.” I mumbled to myself as I left the room I dreaded going downstairs to have that talk with my dad. That was not something I even wanted to contend with. With a sigh I resigned myself to my fate and dragged my feet down the stairs.

Y̵͕̕e̸̞͛l̸̖̀l̵̼̄ȯ̴͙ẁ̴̭ was standing there with h̷̹̉e̵͖̽r̷͙̿, arms crossed waiting for me, “Steven, I know these past few weeks have been crazy, and it's starting to take a hold of you..”

I growled at h̷̹̉e̵͖̽r̷͙̿, "I'm not crazy. You think I'm just imagining this bubble around me?"

S̵̜͑h̸̼́ē̶͔ pointed around to all the pictures, "No Steven. I just want to help you, we both know your… different, but this life isn't what we want from you. Even I needed to seek help when…"

My teeth clenched in my jaw, my nails dug into my palms.

S̵̜͑h̸̼́ē̶͔ trailed off before kneeling down, h̷̹̉e̵͖̽r̷͙̿ massive hand ruffling my puff ball hair, "Look just talking to me and someone to give advice is important. Your happiness won't decrease if you share it with others…"

"Then why… Can't I have my own Court?"

Y̵͕̕e̸̞͛l̸̖̀l̵̼̄ȯ̴͙ẁ̴̭ stood up h̷̹̉e̵͖̽r̷͙̿ arms folding back across h̷̹̉e̵͖̽r̷͙̿ chest, "What did you say t̵͉̓ò̸̙ ̶̘̅m̴̴̷̸̷͍̙̜̯͆̽̏̚̚͜ẹ̷̴̴̴̴̜̩̠̲̽͑́͛̈́?"

I glared at him, my eyes seeming to focus on his face, the details of each hair and tiny bead of sweat being recorded into the back of my mind. 

"I said…"

Wait.

What did I say? 

His face hardened and he spun me around to the door, “Steven Quartz Demayo Universe. You are going. End of discussion.” I couldn't argue, my mind still focusing on what just happened. The heck would I want to go to court for anyway?

I dropped Lapis off in front of pining hearts, then I talked to dad about the therapist.

Why can't I remember what I said though? Whatever- wait. I'm in the car now.

Trying the door to escape I found it wouldn't open… the doors unlocked thou- Child Lock!? 

Ugh! Curse you traffic technologies!

My dad had to live with my ever increasing silent fury as he drove me to somewhere. 

The car ride was another long silent one.

With my arms crossed and displeasure on my face I slouched low in the seat and stewed.

With a jolt forward the car stopped moving.

“Alright Steven we’re here.”

“Great. Let's go home.” I replied.

A sigh was given and I felt the car turn off and I felt my door open. 

Signaling for me to get out I grumbled and kicked my feet the whole way into the building. 

He walked a step or two behind me corralling me in.

We stepped into a small office that reminded me vaguely of a comic book store with chairs lining one side of the room. There were various display cases of figurines, several book shelves of toys and books. A stand of comics with a sign that said to ‘please return after reading’. 

The only thing that stopped me from assuming this was all a joke was the large dark door and a woman seated next to it with the words "sign in" above her.

As my dad walked up to the desk I just took in my surroundings.

“Appointment for Demayo Universe. First name Steven.”

My dad spoke over his shoulder as I explored the room. 

Obviously all this stuff is supposed to calm down kids or keep them distracted while the parents or whoever they think is crazy is dragged to the back to be drugged up and thrown in padded cells.

Maybe they are thrown into a dark room and forced sit there for days while the medicine slowly turns the hours into weeks into years until people forget about you and it wears off and then you need to climb the wall to the o̸n̶l̸y̸w̶a̷y̴o̴u̵t̷o̵n̴l̵y̷t̷o̶r̴̷̵e̶̴̶a̷̸̵l̶̸̷i̶̶̶s̸̴̸e̶̷̴i̵̴̵t̷̷̵w̷̸̶a̶̷̴s̷̷̸a̷̶̷l̵̶̸l̴̴̴a̶̵̶t̶̵̸e̴̸̷s̸̷̵t̵̵̴t̶̶̴h̶̶̵a̵̶̵t̶̵̸y̶̵̵̴̴̸̶o̸̴̷̴̵̶̵u̴̶̸̵̷̸̵f̴̶̷̴̵̴̷i̶̵̶̴̴̵̸a̷̴̶̸̵̴̶l̵̴̶̴̴̴̴e̴̷̸̶̶̵̶d̸̶̸̴̷̸̵c̸̶̸̴̵̶̷a̷̸̸̸̸̷̴u̴̴̶̸̷̶̷s̶̶̴̵̴̶̸e̴̴̷̵̸̵̵y̵̷̸̶̵̷̷̸̵̷̵̶̸̶̴o̶̴̷̴̷̴̷̸̵̶̴̵̷̵̸u̷̵̸̶̷̵̸̶̷̶̷̴̵̸̸c̴̷̴̵̶̸̷̶̵̸̸̶̴̷̶a̶̶̵̵̶̸̷̷̶̷̶̶̶̶̵n̸̵̶̸̴̷̵̶̸̸̴̴̷̷̸t̶̸̶̸̴̶̶̵̶̴̴̸̸̴̸b̷̶̸̷̶̸̴̵̷̸̵̸̶̷̸e̵̶̷̴̶̷̴̷̸̵̸̷̴̸̷f̵̵̵̴̸̷̷̴̴̷̸̴̷̸̶r̵̵̶̷̷̶̴̸̶̴̷̸̷̸̸e̷̶̷̷̸̵̷̵̵̴̸̵̷̵̴e̴̶̵̸̶̴̶̴̵̸̶̴̸̸̶n̶̵̴̸̵̴̵̸̴̵̶̴̶̴̵e̴̴̵̷̵̶̷̸̵̴̷̷̶̴̷v̴̸̶̵̵̶̸̶̷̸̵̵̴̷̷e̵̶̶̸̵̵̸̷̸̸̵̵̵̵̷r̸̶̶̵̴̷̸̸̴̵̸̵̴̵̵f̷̷̵̴̵̸̵̵̶̶̶̷̵̸̶r̷̶̶̵̴̸̴̷̴̴̶̷̵̸̶

"Steven! Snap out of it!"

With a jolt I spin around knocking myself back into the cabinet, the comic books and memorabilia spilled out onto the floor around me.

Crap.

Greg was standing next to an older indian man who adjusted his glasses before kneeling down and picking up one of the fallen comics, slowly gathering them up before looking me in the eyes, “Seems like you were having a bit of a panic attack there buddy want to talk about it.”

“...Not… Really.”

He just smiled and slowly stood back up putting the comic stack back on a nearby shelf.

“Well, hello Steven, I'm Dr. Maheswaran. Why don’t we get you out of that pile that fell on you and have a chat in my office.” he reached his hand down and I hesitantly took it. He helped me over the rather sizable pile. 

Stars this is embarrassing.

“I’m sorry about your office.” I looked back at the wreckage I caused. That might be expensive to replace.

“Don’t worry too much about it, all those things are replaceable and most of them I expected to have destroyed at some point.” He said as he led me to a couch to sit down. 

“Steven I’ll be out here helping the secretary clean up. I’ll see you when your session is over.” My dad said as he closed the door. 

The Office was just filled with toys and comic books and wall to wall art of various series… Were those signed copies of the Spirit Morph Saga?

At the corner of my eye I saw Dr.Marsha wa…. How do you even pronounce that guy's name?

Dr M. pulled out a pink notebook and opened it up before he started tapping his pencil on the page. We sat there for a few moments, he seemed to just wait for me to start talking, but I just drifted off eventually I snapped back to reality when he spoke,

“Can you tell me about these explosive outbursts?” 

“What do you want to know Dr.Marsh. I turn pink and then explode.” I put my head in my hands. I just don’t want to be here. I can’t do an hour of this.

“Well my name can be a bit of a mouth full but it is Dr. Ma-hey-swore-en. You can call me Dr. M if it makes it easier on you."

He just started writing, for a moment and continued when he looked back up to me.

"Now in the literal sense. Yes when you turn pink and explode. I want to know more about how you feel when situations like this happen. What  _ makes _ you turn 'pink'.” I furrowed my brow and leaned my head back on the chair.

“I don’t know...Overwhelmed….Stressed...Kind of angry.”

He nodded along writing, “Ok elaborate on that.”

“How?"

"Just… whatever comes to mind."

Well, that doesn't really help much. "I got angry when Kevin threw a rock at me. I just wanted to… yeah. Blow up. So I did." Thinking back to that day I really don’t know how I felt, just that everything was going well until a rock hit me in my face.

More writing. Which continued in the silence for a minute or so before he looked up, "Why don’t you explain some of the stress that's weighing down on you.”

I turn pink and explode when I'm angry. I’m pretty sure I'm starting to black out and I have no human friends. Oh and I talk to a mirror who may or may not be a war criminal that has been trapped in prison under a pile of junk for who knows how long.

_ Can't say all that though. _

Dr. M, just waited while I gathered my thoughts, “I’m stressed about these new… things that I have to deal with. As well as all the time I'm forced to spend with my mother. She’s never been a part of my life and I'm pretty sure she hates me. It doesn't help that she's pretty much an Alien."

I only threw out the last statement to see if he is aware of me being part  _ rock  _ or not.

“And from my discussions with your father you make those statements in the literal sense as well as figurative.” 

Well he is "in the know" I suppose. I just nod as he continues writing things down. 

“While I am curious to speak with you and your father about that, that's not why we are here today.” He cleared his throat, “Steven, I want you to understand that this is just an initial consultation and that it is ok to feel stressed, annoyed, and maybe even a little mad. There are many adolescents that feel the way you do in being told to see a psychiatrist, as well as being forced to spend time with their non-primary parent.” 

He started to tap his pen against the page while continuing, “Family members who you rarely meet or spend time with can seem  _ Alien _ especially when there may in fact be reasons you do not live with them. There are many adolescents who had to live with another guardian that when they met their parents after an extreme period of separation had no idea how to handle them.”

I rolled my eyes, It’s not like most children have to worry about their mother shattering them with a giant sword. 

Dr M must have noticed my eye roll and went back to writing as he continued, “You may feel like you are even in danger when around your mother. Think about how she might feel about this. Out of place. Having to get used to taking care of you-”

No, I’m not going to let this be misunderstood here.

“She. Doesn’t. Care for me. She has. Never. Tried to be my mother. All she cares about is my dad. If I were to die it would probably be a big relief to her, and don’t look at me like that, if anyone should be here it’s her, not me.”

He just hummed to himself seeming to write out what I said. I looked around the room again, how long have I been here…  _ Why are there no clocks? _

“Steven... you seem to put a lot of thought into your father’s relationship with your mother and how it affects you. Your feelings are valid and I want you to understand it is ok to feel wary. Building relationships takes time. You need to work on finding common ground with her. Now that common ground may very well be your father. You  _ both _ care for him and he cares for the  _ both _ of you.”

“So you want me to try and hang out with Rose with my dad as a buffer.”

“You could put it that way, yes."

I almost sneered at the thought, “I doubt that will happen anytime soon.”

“What are some things you enjoy doing with your dad?” I took a moment to blink from the whiplash the conversation took. “Um… Well we used to write music together, at least until I wrote one for… Anyway we don’t do that much now.”

“That sounds as if an important bonding experience has been cut away.” The doctor said writing a quick note and then looking over at me, “Maybe you should pick up the pen and write songs again.... Now Steven, you seem to have stress and detachment towards the idea of a nuclear family.”

I mean, hanging around my mother does make me sick so I guess, “Yes my family is radioactive.”

“Not what I mean Steven. A nuclear family or conjugal family... It’s a family group consisting of two parents and their children. You have had a relationship with your father but no relationship with your mother leading to this resentment for the lack of affection you must have longed for most of your life.” The doctor steepled his fingers and furrowed his brow in thought. “Your father gets that affection from your mother leading you to mirror some resentment at times with him. You are now in consistent proximity. I would suggest a family lunch… Talk to each other.”

I held back my groan, and just stared back at Dr. Talks-a-lot.

A knock outside interrupted the battle of wills as he checked his wrist. “Well Steven this looks to be the end of our first session but here is my card do not be afraid to text that number when you are particularly overwhelmed. If you would go see Ms. Abigail at the front desk, she will finish paperwork with you and give you a prescription.” He tears out a page from the notepad.

“Wait. What. Prescription?”

“It’s just a prevention measure to put a stop to your explosive episodes. We want to stop you from accidentally hurting someone during one of your… episodes. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRI, is the medicine you will be taking daily and it is going to reduce your episodes. This is not a quick fix, it is going to take a few weeks for you to really start seeing the results and you need to remember to take the medicine every day.” 

Right, cause I’m going to definitely take drugs you give me just because you think I'm crazy.

“I recommend putting the bottle on something you grab everyday without fail like on top of your phone and then have a reminder set to take it. If all else fails, your father will be informed so he can make sure it gets done.”

Fan. Tastic.

Doctor Stranger led me out the door, shaking hands with my father, and exchanging some words which I ignored until he called to me, “Steven I would like to see you next month for a follow up to see how the medication is working for you.“

My dad led me out of the office to the van. What a glorious waste of time. 

I couldn’t wait for dad to start the car and drive us out of there. I turned the radio on as we pulled out and watched the scenery pass us by.

Eventually we pulled up to the boardwalk and Dad tapped on my shoulder, “Come on kid. I owe you Ice Cream.” 

I raised my eyebrow, looking over the boardwalk, “Isn’t this place closed still?” 

“The restaurants are open and our favorite ice cream parlor just happens to be one of those... I hear they made The Kitty Crumble. It's not a cookie cat but they made chocolate cat ears and have a pretty decent Vanilla Strawberry swirl and they have star sprinkles you can add on top.” He said with a grin “I will have the Coffee and cheesecake flavor.” 

“Can you just tell me why you’re doing this?” I asked as he led me to the Ice Cream shop. 

He just hummed to himself before replying, “Look Steven, I know your getting real deep into your Gem stuff. But I don’t want you to forget to be human too. If that means I need to force you to see a doctor and drag you out for some Ice Cream here or there, then I will.”

The shop was quiet and getting our icecream did not take long at all. 

“Dad, while I appreciate the thought, I got kicked out because they think I went to school with a bomb. My education and thus human life is over.” I said, taking out my icecream covered spoon and pointing it at him.

“Yo~ Pinky!” I turned around to see Buck Dewey, his brown hair sticking up into the signature point of the group, Sour Cream, his blonde hair almost glistening in the sun with the amount of hair gel used on it, and Jenny Pizza the …pizza delivery girl, walk in and wave over at me. “Yo man heard what you did at the school that was sick.” Buck smirked in my direction waving his hands in some gesture that I assume was supposed to be….cool?

“Uh…..” I looked at my dad in confused concern. Mostly he looked amused with his spoon in his mouth and a raised brow.

“Man you should have seen the look on Kevin’s face when he ran off. Good move with the fireworks!” Sour Cream said, patting my shoulder as the teens crowded around us.

“Wait what?!” 

“Yea man it's all around the school apparently you were planning some sick prank with fireworks and flashing lights, but Kevin set them off on you. Figures it would be ruined by that ass hat.” Jenny said as she tapped my shoulder as she leaned forward smiling. 

I just blinked incredulously, “That’s... what they are saying?” I mean, better off than everyone freaking out I'm a walking pink bomb I suppose… “Yeah, it sucks you were expelled though dude.” Sour Cream commented while leaning on the wall. “It’s alright, I got plenty of free time taking online classes now.” 

“Good on you for continuing your education then Pinky.” Buck commented on the side, adjusting his shades. “Speaking of continuing your education. Now that you don't have to worry much about school, you want to work on some extra curricular activities with us?”

“Extra what?”

“We got a rave at the old warehouse on the dock planned. You have got to come with us.” 

“A rave?” I heard about those while I was in middle school, a party all night that only the coolest and oldest of the students were allowed to go to. “Me?” I turned to my dad who just commented, “You should go Stewball.”

“I mean… Sure?” I turn to the ‘Cool Kids’ and nod. Dad spoke up though, “Hey kids when you say ‘rave’ give me a break down what's happening at this.”

“Well Mr.Universe there will be music, food, plenty of water, and of course Glowsticks.” Jenny piped up pulling some from her back pocket.

“I’m also asking about other stuff, kids. Will there be any alcohol?”

“Mr.U you know we can’t-” Sour Cream almost whined while dad chuckled, “Don’t play dumb kids I was a rock star for a while, I know how these things go. This isn’t me trying to snitch on your party. I'm only asking so I know to tell Stewball off the punch or not.”

“Oh We’ll keep an eye on him so he won't do any of that stuff.” Jenny said stepping up the boys behind her looking away. “I’m allergic to it anyway so there will be plenty of non-alcoholic stuff.”

The boys behind her snorted while she turned around to give the two a dirty look. “Why don’t you two stoners get me my icecream while I talk to Steven and his old man.” Jenny watched the two go to grab her desert and then smiled at me. 

“Why don’t you come set up with the guys and me. This will help you get a feel for where everything is and I’ll show you the clean cooler.”

“Uh… Dad?”

“Go right ahead Steven I’ll head home and keep watch on our new… house guest.” He said as he nodded me over to the cool kids

“Well… Ok just. Tell Lapis hi for me.”

“I will. Call me if anyone starts acting stupid alright.”

“Yes Sir.” and with that Greg Universe left the parlor leaving me at the hands of the Cool Kids. 

After accosting the other two for her ice cream I was buckling up and riding in Jenny’s car to pick up supplies. We stopped at a few different places picking up coolers from Dewys mansion, a twenty minute stop near Wall-E’s Candies where Buck came back with a large bag of Pez-like candy, and a quick stop to grab 3 whole crates of glow sticks from Sour Cream’s house down the street from mine. These errands seemed very random when we showed up at the warehouse. I helped with the unloading only to find a few others setting up. One large man that looked suspiciously like Mr. Smiley was manning a bar when Jenny and I walked up to him easily avoiding the people rushing to and fro setting tables and lights.

“Steven, this is Joe, he's our bartender for the night.” Jenny introduced us, “Joe this is Steven. We will be only on the clean cooler.” 

“Right. You know the rules Jenny. Make sure he has a pink bracelet on his right hand tonight. He’s your responsibility.” he commented while continuing to clean the red cups in front of him.

“Pink bracelet?” 

“That's our marker for clean drinks. Most of the people who show up for our raves know the color system Pink is for Clean, Blue is for recreational… uh… stuff, and Green is for twenty one and older drinks. If you have a Blue Glow Stick you are only getting water from the bartender. Green is a marker for consenting adults.”

“Uh… Can’t people just bring their own glow sticks?” 

“Eh true enough. Not my problem though.”

Well then, I got nothing to say to that. So I just shrugged and looked around the place. As I watched a group of what looked to be college kids dragging in music equipment, Jenny walked off to Sour Cream by the door, I thought I spotted Lars rush past them… 

Yup. That's Lars.

Why is he hiding behind the boxes? 

Before I could walk over to him I felt a snap on my wrist and reflexively rubbed the pink bracelet fastened on it.

“Ow.-” “Want to help me set up the lights?” How the hell did she get behind me? “Uh… Sure Jenny.” “Great!”

With her help we began to put up the lights throughout the warehouse. Ever so often I would catch a glimpse of Lars seeming to be hiding in the shadows not doing anything, just leaning on the wall out of sight.

Rude much.

Looking around at the work we put into the warehouse I noticed some strings of lights I remember putting up was gone… “Hey Jenny, didn’t we set up lights in that corner already?” She looked at where I pointed and shrugged. We went over and got back to work. 

As time passed most of the people who were setting things up left the warehouse leaving only myself and the cool kids, Buck and Sour Cream messing with the stage and Electronics, while Jenny and I continued hanging light strings and laser blocks. 

It didn't take us long to notice more and more lights we set up had been disappearing after turning them on to test. 

Because of this Sourcream was noticeably getting more and more frustrated until he exploded into an argument with the others, “Someone has got to be trying to ruin my show!"

“Just forget it Sour Cream. We have glow sticks and good music. It should be fine.” Jenny tried to calm him down. Buck nodding along.

“The lights were supposed to sync with the music man!”

“S.C you telling me that you cant DJ without those lights? Didn’t know you were so...  _ casual. _ ”

Sour Cream's jaw dropped in shock before his face turned into a strong mix of determination and fury that I can only assume was from the challenge against his pride, “Jenny... I’ll show you casual!” SourCream turned to us when he stopped and shouted, "Hey! Give that back!" Then took a running jump off the eight foot tall stage.

Without thinking I slammed my foot down. A flash of Pink eveloping me as Sour Cream found himself in a bright pink bubble bouncing on the floor. 

"Oh... crap." I willed the bubble away and it popped, dropping the flailing Sourcream onto the floor. 

The other cool kids rushed down the stage steps as he sat back up and I followed.

“The hell S.C! You are trying to get yourself killed! You can’t DJ if you break an arm or leg!" 

The group fretted over him while I hung back feeling a little out of place. At least he is fine. That fall would have broken something if he landed wrong.   
  


"Whatever was taking the lights is outside man! I know it! I saw it drag out the lights!"

"Just drop it, it's fine man. Lets finish setting up the playlist for tonight." 

"Are we just going to ignore th- ouch!" Jenny socked Buck on the shoulder and Sourcream walked over to me, "Hey so I don't know what wiccan magic you did, but thanks for that."

"No problem Sourcream… you're not freaking out about that?" 

He shrugged, "Oh I’m freaking out yes, but have you seen the stuff that happens in town? Your mom used to baby sit me and the others here, and we have seen some things." He looked off to the side as if remembering something, "I guess it wasn't fireworks that made that explosion huh?" I just nodded and he waved the other cool kids over. 

They walked up each giving me a thanks for catching their hot headed friend before dragging him off to his DJ equipment. 

It didn't take a genius to see that the others while thankful, were giving me space after I used my power.

_ A̵s̷ ̷t̶h̸e̵y̸ ̸s̶h̵o̵u̴l̴d̶ _

At least they weren't outright kicking me out. I miss hanging out with people and not worrying all the time like now. It was a nice load off my shoulders. 

I took a seat on a chair near the wall and leaned back closing my eyes to relish in the relaxing situation. I felt something cold wash over me.

Like happiness, and hunger...Satisfaction? It's a little late to be satisfied over the Not-cookie cat… Calm. sand doesn't move here. It's dark, Safe…

Tired...

Sleep.

"Steven wake up man, parties have already started!" Human. Hunter. Loud. 

"Steven?!" With a shake of my head I remembered. Yes. I'm Steven.

"Yeah what's-" damn that music is loud, I brushed Jennys hand off my shoulder as she leaned closer, with her other hand on her ear, "How long was I out?!"

She laughed and held up three fingers, “Hours!” 

What. Three hours? I looked around to see the party had really kicked off, People were jumping around with glow sticks spinning. Beams of multicolored light were flashing overhead while my whole body vibrated with the bass beat. How the heck was I asleep when all this started?

True to her word Jenny stuck close to me and we laughed, joked, and danced. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Buck selling his candy in a corner making sure to slap blue wristbands on the buyers. I shook my head and just got back into the party. With the amount of chaos all around I’m surprised the cops haven't busted the rave already though.

Eventually there was a moment where the music wasn’t ear piercingly loud and I could ask my question to Jenny.

“It's Mayor Dewy. Bucks dad is the mayor so he turns a blind eye on all our shenanigans.” Jenny smiled while turning around and seeing everyone having a good time, until her eyes landed on Buck in the corner counting money. 

I shrugged, “Looks like he made a lot of money selling his candy.” 

“That wasn’t candy Steven. That was E. Its a drug that makes people do stupid shit.” Jenny bit out turning away, “Damn drug addicts.” With that Jenny had me follow her out a side entrance, passing by a group of older teens swaying back and forth, I relished in the cool breeze coming off the water. I was led over to a bench. The music was dulled right outside and the night sky was so bright the ocean reflected the light of the moon and the stars right back.

I looked over to her and it didn’t take a genius to tell she was upset, “You okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine, I just needed a breather.”

“You got pretty angry when you looked at Buck.”

“Yea but it's ok. Or it will be eventually. I’m going to head back inside Steven, you suck in that cool air alright.” Jenny waved as she went back into the club. I sighed leaning my head back on the wall. I was enjoying the party. Really I was, but it felt like I was wasting my time. I could be training my powers, or learning more about gems from Lapis, or even finding out about- 

A loud bang echoed and I looked behind me towards the noise, I flinched and raised my arms when there was another bang when suddenly the sky was bright with lights.

Fireworks.

I guess Dewey really does let his son get away with anything, I doubt the cops aren't seeing all this happen right now. 

Aren’t raves supposed to be secret? Nothing says secret like a firework show after dark. I just chuckled and watched the fireworks shoot off into the sky with the bass beat thumping behind me.

After only a minute or so, the fireworks show stops, and I hear Sour Cream scream into his mic, “Make some noise~” followed by a few loud sirens and the beat suddenly dropping… somehow, even louder, my entire body vibrating even with the walls of the warehouse separating me from the nearest speaker.

Jeeze, I am happy I'm not in there right now. With every bass beat I can feel my gem vibrate against my flesh.

I distance myself heading to the water seeing the ripples the music was making against it. The Jellyfish seemed to ascend closer to the surface, their bioluminescent bodies weaving around almost hypnotically, when I saw an orange light glittering below it all. 

My curiosity had me look around before kneeling down and sliding under the railing for a closer look at the water's edge. Despite being closer I couldn't make out what was past all the Jellyfish. So I scared them off by splashing the water around.

I waited for the water to calm down from the splashes, or at least as much as I could with the vibrations of the music when I noticed it.

Whatever was that orange thing was rising quickly… almost too quickly. Actually, No, that was dangerously quick. My vision seemed to sharpen as my adrenaline kicked in, the details of the Orange Spodumene encased by viney tendrils catching my attention.

Great, I woke up the dragon.

I threw up a shield around myself as I started to fall forward into the water. Only to find myself launched into the air by what could only be described as a giant squid.

This squid was terrifying. The outer shell of this creature was almost clear while the inner workings were glowing a brilliant orange. The Gem itself was visible near what could only be described as the jaws of the beast, protected by several layers of sharp teeth.

As I took all this in I realized I was soaring pretty high, above the roof of the warehouse.

How hard did she launch me?!

Gravity took over quickly then and with barely a thought I encased myself in a bubble as I crashed through the skylight of the building.

Music greeted me along with surprisingly no one noticing the new hole as my bubble landed in the middle of some sort of circle on the dance floor... 

_ Say it ain't so. _

The party goers around me started cheering in excitement before chanting “Dance Dance Dance.” I blinked.

_ I will not go _

Oh wow I know this one. I shrugged a little and slowly moved my body around dropping my bubble from around me.

_ Carry me- _

The squid gem crashed through the wall and with a record scratch all music in the building stopped.

Almost comically everyone was frozen unmoving. 

The Orange gem, its eye I would imagine, slowly, almost lazily scanning the crowd as if deciding which glowing specimen would be tastiest. A click echoed in the silence and a flash of light from someone's camera awoke everyone from their frozen state, the screams of the people and the roar of the corrupted gem quickly followed. 

The swarm of people promptly escaped from the main entrance in a trampling crowd of ants as I stared down the squid who slowly pulled itself into the large building. 

By the time the squid pulled itself completely into the building everyone had evacuated the area. The only sounds being the faint dripping of the salt water on the floor and the low hum of the generator that powered everything. I raised my shield getting ready for a fight when the orange gem moved around seeming to take in the room. 

Ignoring me the large arm of the squid swiped at the hanging lights seeming to drag into its maw. Into its gem. The inner workings of the squid began shining brightly while the lights were sucked into the gem.

So… it’s eating the lights?

I lowered my shield, fascinated at the creature as it crawled, and “ate” its way across the room. The insides of the squid now seemed to be in perpetual glow as it worked while the large flat fins on its head knocked over the chairs and tables without care. 

With a mighty crash the squid heaved itself onto the DJ’s stage and must have crashed the generator as the only things granting light in the building was the squid itself, the pink bracelet on my arm and… Lars whimpering in the far corner.

Why did he loop glow bracelets into his earlobes? Wait why not. That's awso-

The Squid lunged at him and I created a wall in front of him. “Hey! Don’t you think about it!” The squid ignored me in favor of the large glowing wall that separated itself from its crying prey.

Don’t ignore me.

“Hey!” The squid tried to reach around the wall and I made it larger to protect Lars.

̸S̸t̵o̸p̷ ̴i̶g̵n̸o̵r̵i̷n̷g̶ ̵m̴e̵.̴

“I said H̶E̶Y̸!” I launched a shield from my hand that shattered on its impact with the large monster. It seemed to cry out in pain before turning towards me, with a roar it charged and I screamed back charging at it.

Right before I reached It I threw out my arm, the shield shattered itself like shrapnel toward the gem. I reformed the shield as the squid attempted to guard its gem with its arms and jumped the remaining distance. 

With all my strength I smacked the shield into the top of the Orange squid… 

And bounced right off to the other side of the room.

Whelp that didn't work out, I looked over my shoulder to see Lars climbing out a window. Least I don’t have to worry about him anymore. H̶e̵ ̴w̵a̸s̶ ̷w̶e̷a̶k̵ ̵a̶n̷y̵w̸a̸y̷. I turned back to the Corrupted Gem, only to see all six of its larger tentacles falling down towards me. I quickly shield myself with my bubble and feel a sharp pain from my gem as they connect with my defense.

I can’t stay bubbled forever and my shield did nothing but annoy it when I hit it. I'll have to hit that gem, that seems to be its only real weak point…

D̶u̶m̸b̷ ̷I̸d̶e̷a̸

Great Idea!

I dropped my shield and winced a little as the tentacles grabbed at me, dragging me towards its mouth, the smaller arm raised my arm with my bracelet towards its gem.

H̶o̵r̴r̸i̸b̷l̷e̴ ̸p̶l̴a̵n̶!̴

Best plan ever!

I reached deep into myself and pulled out my shield right before the serrated teeth bit down on me, flinging my arm at its exposed gem.

Smoke filled my vision swiftly and the large gem bounced against the stone floor next to my feet.

Stars...

I did it. I fought and beat it! I’m Amazing!!! I can’t wait till the others see this! 

“Alright Steven, Good job.” I turned around and spotted all the crystal gems assembled, everyone but Garnet and Pearl wielding their weapons. The larger gem turned to Rose, “See, I told you he could handle it Rose.” 

I looked over the group Purple shrugged seeing the gem at my feet and returned her whip into her gem. Pearl seemed to not be completely there just standing at attention slightly behind the others. I nodded to them and lifted up the large Orange Gem, “So… What do I do with this?”

Rose sheathed her sword into her gem finally before crossing her arms, “Now, you bubble it.” I looked to the gem and without much thought put a bubble around it, Why I did thi- “It’s to stop her from reforming.” 

“Why not just shatter the monster?” At that question I noticed everyone there tense up. “What?”

Rose spoke up, “No Steven. We do not shatter gems.” the other gems nodded, while my own eyes narrowed, I was being lied to. 

“Yes. You do. What were all those crystal shrimp then? Or your sword used for then? Cutting the cake for my birthday?” Rose glared back at me, “We do not shatter  _ those gems. _ ” 

It was silent for a moment before she continued, “They used to be normal Gems like Me, Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet. They had thoughts, and feelings. They fought alongside us against Homeworld to defend Earth… Now, they don't remember who they used to be, what they stood for... “

She looked down to the gem in the bubble, “The pool won’t heal them, nothing I’ve tried has worked, so all we can do is bubble them so they don't harm any humans… or be harmed by humans.” 

If that's the case why  _ not _ shatter them. Wouldn’t that be a mercy?

Rose just walked off reminiscing, Pearl following her close behind. Garnet stood silently having not moved from the area and Purple had disappeared, More than likely because there was nothing to eat here and no fight to be had.

I held the gem out to garnet who shook her head in reply, “No Steven. What you need to do is think about home and tap the gem.” I did as she told and then the bubble and gem disappeared. “Woah. Wait… Where did it go? Home?” 

Wait...

Garnet nodded, “Yes the bubbl-”

THE SQUID IS AT MY HOUSE!?

I attempted to run past Garnet when her large hand grabbed my arm, “The bubble will not pop as the gem inside powers the bubble around it. Unless you or another gem pops it with their light form it will not reform. Now, just head home calmly Steven. You’ve had a long day.”

I nodded slowly, calming down.

It has been a long day.

I trudged out the warehouse, mentally noting the crashed walkway outside where the squid dragged itself up, and Pearl and Rose hugging each other in the moonlight.

I scowled a little, something about that just doesn't feel right. 

I shook my head and continued my way home slowly. About an hour of walking later I was finally at the house, I faintly heard the tv as I opened the door. Taking off my shoes I looked around for the bubble before giving up. Figures I would mess up teleporting on my first try. 

I could see dad's head leaned back on the couch along with his chainsaw like snores. He really needs to learn to turn the T.V. off when he's done. I grabbed the remote and clicked off the T.V. 

“HEY I’M WATCHING THAT! Turn ȁ̵̤̃̕ͅ it on. y̵̹̮̩͊a filthy a̴̫͂̚nimal!” The odd mix of male and female voices forced me to turn around sharply to see a baby chair with Lapis’ mirror propped up on it in the corner.

“W̶͔̌̃͘hy don’t cha take a picture, it'll last longeȑ̴̝̮́̇ͅ!” A snide voice came from the mirror, followed by a much more sultry tone of a woman, “I̵̯̹̊ won’t mind̵̰̗͒̊̾~.”

I blinked slowly.

Well. Lapis is a thing now.

* * *

_ If I could begin to be _

_ Half of what you think of me _

_ I could do about anything _

_ I could even learn how to Ľ̵͈̘̌̊̚o̸̡͇͛̀͛̇̚v̷̥̪͕͙͍̤̈́̔̅̌͊̀̓̽͜͝͠è̸̢̦͉̜̗͍͉͍͚͍̬̝͙̒̇̈͂̉̃- _

* * *

A/N: Mark the Mark : This chapter was supposed to be out weeks ago. This year is crazy… Anyway, No promises the next chapter will be as long as this one, It just kept going, And I didn’t plan on this to be a two parter. So It just stayed here and kept writing… over 7000 words, on the first edit. I powered through the last quarter from 10 last night to 1 this morning. 

Anyway talking ABOUT the chapter, Greg is much more of an active parent with the gems not being in the picture so of COURSE he would send Steven to therapy when he is seeming to be more detached and has been in fights, Greg was also a rock star, he wouldn't mind Steven going out to party, it's not like he never did that as a kid, and like in future he expects such a thing would actually help Steven find “himself.”

Speaking of Greg and his rocker career… mmmm.

The other crystal gems don't really make much of an appearance in this chapter, however Garnet continues to predict things and helps Steven stumble along. What does she know? What does she see? Will I ever stop asking questions to get reviews? 

Who knows? But Hey! That’s just a theory~ A FAN-FICTION THEORY!

A/N Artemis_hnr : This is our longest chapter overall. This one chapter being almost 20 pages long! We are so proud and we really felt this scene had to be this length to show Steven and Gregs struggle with the powers and being human. Also to Showcase Steven is able to be strong on his own and handle situations that fly at him. He will come into his power.

Review Responses!

Fanfiction: Yeah!

Ao3: 

MtM: Emma thanks for checking in on us. You're a doll, and I love your theory. lets see you expand on it as the story continues~

Artemis: Emma thanks for checking in on us. We really appreciate it and it really gave us both the feels. It's nice having reviewers care about us! Thanks for making us really feel loved.

  
  


Thanks for reading.

Post MtM: Review questions: Where did Spodumene end up? What’s up with Garnet? 

* * *


	7. Episode 6: Return of the Spire’s Lapis

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own the holidays or SU yadda yadda.

We... wish you a merry Christmas!

We wish you a merry Christmas!

  
  
We wish you a merry Christmas!

And a Happy New Year,

Good tidings to you!

From your favorite gems, Good tidings for Christmas!

And Steven~

Wrong Song!

* * *

**Episode 6:** **Return of the Spire’s Lapis:**

* * *

After a thrilling night of nightmares I decided that, Yes. I was an idiot.

Nearly sacrificing my arm to take down a space squid was a very moronic plan, and after I talked with Lapis about it, I couldn’t hear the end of it. At least I managed to finally convince her I wouldn’t sacrifice any body parts until I managed to free her gem. 

Which is another form of contention between us. She hasn’t said it exactly, but it's kind of obvious she wants out of there. I tried poking the gem once at some point, only to feel the gem and mirror creak. I'm not exactly sure I can remove them from each other without them both breaking. I have been able to curb those thoughts with conversations about Camp Pining Hearts, and showing her all the sights around. 

This of course felt like I was spoiling an over eager kid. All the Oohs and Aahs at all the new things included, followed by all the Whines and Cries when I had to head back home. Where did I find all the time for this? Well I spent years not dealing with gem hoo hah I think I earned a break without it for a few days. No powers, no Crystal monsters coming at me for my flesh. Just normal Steven. Well Normal Steven with Pink powers and a magical talking Mirror, but my point still stands...

“Let’s go on a Camping Adventure!” Pauleen’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Lapis I told you, I can’t just up and go camping randomly.”

“Why not? You chicken?” Pierre’s mocking voice echoed in the room.

“I’m not a chicken, I just don't want to go camping right now.” I shuffled around my room. 

Where did I put that bag…

These days I have fallen into a rhythm, wake up, shower, get some food, check my online classes, check in with Lappy, go out and tour the city with her, come back and relax.

Surprisingly I haven't heard from the Gems since that night on the pier, which makes sense I suppose. I was always the one butting into their business anyway.

Which I feel should stay _their_ business. My arm deserves its place in its socket after all. 

Thoughts like that are what has me so against planning a camping trip. Who knows what crazy gem monster- _people_ are out there. Stepping outside into the city had set my teeth on edge, who knows how I would feel out in the woods on my own. 

Then on the flip side we have Lapis who has been in a mirror for longer than recorded history for a crime I have no way of knowing if she really did. It’s not like I can really trust the rebels of an empire to tell the truth regarding crimes against said _empire_ … I couldn’t really have her ask either as with her panic attacks when I mentioned Rose for the first time was any indication- they aren't on the same side.

Honestly I probably should take her to the fountain to heal her gem at least, but I don’t really have its exact location memorized. Which is apparently a requirement for these warp pads to work.

I tried.

Ah there’s the bag. 

I pulled the bag over my shoulder, flipped off the tv, and lifted Lapis to her spot.

“What kind of Adventure for today Lapis?” I asked my cramped companion while I stepped down the stairs.

“Ļ̵̳̫͇̝̪̩̯̤̯̟̔̿̍͑̌̽̈̚͠et's go hiking through the Great P̶̧͑̅̈́̽ines! Ä̴̧̖͕̺̎̋̾̏̾dventure, Danger, Ṛ̸̝̜͕̠̑͑̑͋omance!” Percy’s staticy voice called out from the mirror.

I winced at the static, but did not comment… Despite how much I didn’t want to get into a fight with the gems, I don’t want my friend to die.

Turning the corner I spotted my breakfast already laid out for me, water and pills included. After a moment of shoveling my breakfast and downing the medicine I made to leave the house when my father called out from the living room, “We have a lunch date with your mom next week, just so you know!”

What.

“You are going to do this and it's final no use complaining! Have a nice day!” 

I ground my teeth feeling a bit nauseous all of a sudden. Great, a “Nuclear family dinner”. Great idea Mr. Maracaca. Without much thought I slammed the door to the house closed. I froze when I heard the sound of wood cracking and Pierre's voice followed, "Ooooooo~ You're in trouble now." 

Stars.

I was not going to stick around for the earful. Like a bolt of lightning I took off down the street, houses becoming a blur as I kept jogging away until finally I felt my skin begin to cool down and found myself on the beach. 

I sighed, before scratching the back of my head. Great, I was only planning on being out for a few hours, but with the door broken its best if I'm out all day. 

“Guess you're getting your adventure after all Lapis.”

“Horray! We did it S̶̡̥̙̙̗̈́͂͑teven!” Percy and my dad replied.

“You know. You are getting really good at switching those around now. What else can you do?” I looked around gathering my thoughts. I didn’t have anything planned other than exploring the safe, non-gem infested city. So I suppose I can try and stretch that out for longer than the day. 

Without much thought I turned away from the temple side of the beach and began walking away with a whistle tune.

The beach was much less busy this time of day, not counting the funland crowd of course. So I wasn’t surprised when the melodic tone of Camp Pining Hearts echoed out from my backpack. Lapi’s had taken to filling the silence with what I can only assume is her favorite songs from the show, sort of like an old boombox _with only three songs_ on it.

Annoying, but I won’t say that to her.

“Camp Pining Hearts!~”

I was however surprised when Paulete’s voice was replaced by some sort of synthesised voice of herself and some of the other campers. The tune continued, and when it was Percy’s turn to sing the song stopped. A few seconds passed by and then I just heard the synthesised voice ‘cough’ and crickets. 

“Oh. You want to sing together?” The song restarted after a short noise of confirmation. 

I guess that's Lapis’ voice, or as close as she can get it maybe? Well… I suppose if I sing bad enough she might start learning other songs.

Doubtful Hah.

“Camp pining hearts!~”

Together we sang, my own voice matching Percy’s to the best of my ability, which to my ears was off tune, but who am I to say that but a retired rocker's son. 

Play a game of darts, Race in hand-made go-karts, This is where it starts: Camp Pining Hearts!

We fight in the war of Cooler; we'll rise above And maybe even fall in love!

Wild chases, Protecting bases, Footraces, too!

We'll go crafting, fishing, All while I'll be wishing That I could be kissing Here with you!

Every storm we'll weather, Though we're not together. Our love will last forever And a day!

Building huts! No matter what, I'll still love you!

They say love's an art, Even though we're apart. Now is when it starts on Camp Pining Hearts.

Camp Pining Hearts!

As we finished singing for the upteenth time I pulled Lapis out of my pack, “Alright so I’ll give you a choice we have the boardwalk…”

She blew a raspberry at me.

I turned the mirror from the boardwalk and pointed it towards the direction of the Big Donut “Downtown?”

Lapis groaned, “Eehhhhhhhhhhh”  
  
“The library?” I asked turing the mirror towards a building farther right from The Big Donut the building was one of the largest in town

Lapis replied a short,“No thank you.”

“Well where do you want to go then?” I sighed in frustration turning the mirror towards myself as I flopped onto the sand looking out to the water crashing onto the shore.

“Home.” Paulette cried. I think that was from one of the earlier episodes… Home Sick maybe. 

“We can’t go to my-” “MY Home.” Paulette's voice cut me off making me blink at the mirror 

Uh huh…. Haven't we hashed this out multiple times already. It looked like today was going to be one of her homesick Days.

“Lapis…We have talked about this. For you to go home you need to be out of the mirror and Homeworld is light years away. I don’t want to break you. The mirror is the only thing keeping your gem from shattering right now.” 

Lapis seemed to quiet for a minute before I saw a swirl of blue in the glass. I looked closely at the mirror before a crying face I've never seen before showed. I was confused on who this girl could be. The girl in the image looked blind and her blue hands started to hit at the glass from the inside, making me jump. 

She looked to be screaming but no sound came out as she hit the glass over and over her mouth shouting the words I could not hear I could only assume were “Let me out!” Was this… Lapis?

I watched her attack the glass from the inside and I just couldn’t make heads or tails of it. I could only let her get this fight of hers out of the way while I tried to calculate the right thing to do. 

I looked around before coming to a decision. 

“Fine we will have to ask for help.”

Lapis stopped hitting the glass and all I could hear was a repeated scream and no repeated back at me over and over in various voices. I stopped and watched the glass and how could I respond to it taking a deep breath I stoned my face.  
  
“Lapis stop!”

Lapis stopped screaming as I stared down at her. 

“Look, we need the Gems to help me find the fountain. So you need to stop screaming and panicking. I won't let anything happen to you. You will just have to trust me. At this point you have nothing to lose if I pull you from the mirror you will shatter. End of the story.”

Lapis faded away from the mirror and went silent and I took that as my que to head to the Gems’ beach. I had a lot to think about on my way there but my main thought was who would I talk to for help? I would teleport to the fountain on my own if I only knew where to go.

As I came up to the Statue of the giant woman I could see a crowd of volunteers hard at work on the statue's restoration. A group seemed to be taking a cast of one of the statues many hands to find a way to repair some of the fingers from the statue that was missing and reattach some of the limbs that have fallen away from “The Great Mother” as the townspeople were referring to her. 

I saw Pearl with some cleaning supplies and wearing a ‘Great Mother Cleanup Volunteer’ shirt. She was hard at work removing sand and plants from one of the removed limbs on the beach on her own. 

“Uh Pearl what's going on.” 

I witnessed Pearl jolt a little before turning, "Now huma-... Steven?" She shook her head a little before clapping her hands together leaving her… broom and… toothpaste? Ignored on the ground, “Ah yes I am here working with these humans as my Rose trusted me. She aims to help the humans repair the statue of Obsidian."

Oh right, Dewys election is coming up isn't it.

Pearl leaned over slightly before whispering to me while looking to the others, "The humans believe that Obsidian is some ‘Great Mother’ who helped create the Earth and all organic life. Rather dimwitted aren't they?" 

Wow~ Pearl realizes I'm half human right? 

"It's rather amusing finding out that there are multiple stories in human legends that have some small tidbit of Gem history in it. Did you know that they thought there is a city made of pure gold? They describe it as a giant golden hand as large as the city...” Pearl continued on whispering to me while eyeing the other humans on the beach.

I just raise a brow, didn't we talk about this? “Right Pearl I did know that... We talked about it a few months ago when we went to the Lunar Sea Spire to start its repairs.”

Pearl stood up straight, the picture of elegance only muddied by the off color shirt she wore.

“I do not know what you are talking about. I think I would remember going to such a place with you. Now that you bring it up though I would love to go. There is so much history I know about but I would be remiss not to experience the history from the ligation itself." 

Pearl seemed to slump slightly, "However I have been forbidden from going by my Rose.”

Huh, so mom is putting restrictions on her friends? Time to break them!

I put on a reassuring smile, “She wouldn’t even notice your gone Pearl, we can just hop over there and be right back before dark. Trust me it would be exciting.”

“Are you sure?"

“Positive Pearl trust me!” 

"Well I don't."

Ouch. That hurt a little.

“But…” She gazed off to the side. Following her gaze I saw Rose and Garnet walking off with the Mayor towards the town. “I suppose…” 

"Well how about this. Just show me how the warp pad works, drop me off at the healing fountain so-" 

Pearl grabbed my shoulders, “Healing fountain? Why do you have to go there? Is your gem crac-” “Woah Woah. Pearl. Calm down, I just want to learn how to use the warp pad and where to go in case of emergencies. It's not like I know anywhere else there is a warp pad."

Pearl calmed down, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "Well, I haven't been to the fountain- BUT we can both find out and teach you about all the gem locations. I recall there being plans for the colony being stored there, so all the warp pads should be neatly marked-” She stopped herself, before turning to me, “Yes let’s go.”

I followed Pearl to the Warp and stood on the pad in trepidation “O.k Pearl how do you start this thing?” I asked watching as she danced onto the Pad and light grabbed us and flung us through space and time. When we arrived at the location all I could do was blink at the drastic changes I could see. The Spire was steadily becoming more repaired and like a fresh coat of paint coated every surface. 

“Wow when we were here a few months ago it was crumbling into the ocean.”

Pearl looked at me aghast at the very thought this historical place was falling apart not too long ago. “In its prime the building was a hub for all gemkind and a great many inventions that were brought to the spire. We revolutionized technology on earth with autonomous surveyors and cleaning units.”

“You mean you have drones and roombas? Humans have those too.” I commented as I walked along the edge of the cliff the Teleporter was on. 

I could see the city slowly raising itself from around the tower and a bridge had rebuilt itself from the cliff face to the sands below. 

Pearl looked at the areas still in need of repair with disgust “Look at all the cracks and the water damage.” Pearl said as she inspected the walls. 

“Trust me Pearl it was worse the last time we were here.”

“Impossible this was the peak of Gem architecture!”

I’ll tell you what it was the peak of. Irritation. Lumping, Cloding, me having to help fight kaiju sized shrimps with crystals growing out of them trying to eat my squishy human flesh.

If she noticed my irritation she didn't comment while praising the tower.

“Oh Steven this Spire was the Glory of all gem kind. You should have seen the spire as the sun hit the peak the city shined and shimmered like our glorious Diamonds. The walls painted in vibrant colors and Art to rival the greatest mortal renaissance painters. You see this very bridge shimmered in refracting lights by day and at night at the peak of the moon the city shinned like stars.” Pearl led us into the spire and I could see some reasons for her awe. The building was still visibly repairing itself, but the main structure looked much cleaner than when we left it...

“Oh Steven, look here! You see! The statue still needs to be repaired. If we had a full gem artistry team you would see how beautiful this was in its original form but as you see the statues were in precious stone and dressed in the finest silks and glittered in gold or silver thread.” She ran her fingers over the marble. 

This was very much going to be a history field trip wasn’t it. Oh well then.

"Pearl, Start the tour!" 

She smiled brightly and began pointing at various things, her giddiness washing over me.

Pearl was in her high being my tour guide leading me from the bottom floor up the spire pointing out various features I had no time to notice last time we were here. 

“Here is where the Peridots would store their technological advancements. All are stored in a chamber unenterable by organics or lower gems.”

“Do you think you would be able to open it?”

“Possibly. Pearls, while of a lower station, tend to have universal access to all locations depending on who we are meant to serve.” Pearl placed her hand on the pad by the archway. The Archway glowed as it opened revealing a workshop reminiscent of those space sci-fi fantasies. The workshop had the appearance of a white, pristine, workshop that could hold many engineers working on various projects, if you ignored the various puddles of water on the ground of course. 

Attop the tables there were several holograms with the gem language gliding along the surfaces. Cubbies displayed what could only be described as metal suits, weapons, various tablets, and machinery. There were cubes and spheres and crystine displays. 

“What is all this?”

“Various projects of our highest prime inventors. Only the most perfect cuts were given free reign to create. It's one of our highest honors.” 

“I see… So what of all of this would I be able to use?” 

With the only hint of her excitement being a hop in her step Pearl walked to a glowing green screen and passed her hands through it. 

There was a faint sound of electricity as her gem glowed and presented images of various gems of all shapes using the equipment around the room. She stepped away from the console, her projections fading away and pointed off to one of the corners of the room, “All items on the display there should be usable finished projects." 

She raised her hands in a 'what can you do' gesture, "If it's not destroyed like the rest of the Tower is however. Although I’m unsure what you would desire to use... The robonoid squares are mechanical companions to help clean, polish, and log information should you not have your own Pearl. There is armor built for Pink Diamond if she ever went to the battlefield, but you would have to grow into it… My Rose wouldn't even fit in the armor."

I laughed, "Rose doesn't fit in any-..."

I could only blink in concern seeing the Pink Crystalline armor; it was regal, floral, familiar… 

And freakishly large.

“How...tall was Pink Diamond?”

“Oh My Diamond was nine feet tall. Much shorter than the rest of the Diamonds. Blue and Yellow Diamonds are as tall as the Temple of Obsidian. And White… much larger."

If she noticed my shocked look, she didn't comment on it and walked back to the entrance, before standing next to the door panel waiting. 

I shrugged and walked around the room looking at the various work in progress machines. 

I couldn't understand any of the writing whatsoever, but the images and damaged parts on tables were interesting to see. 

Eventually I had enough of the quiet room with Pearl being… unnervingly silent by the door. I briskly walked back to her and she opened the door without a word following behind me out.

As if a switch was flipped she seemed to quicken her stride until she was in front of me and take the role of tour guide once again, pointing to the various repaired murals and pillars.

"The Morganite that designed the tower wanted to depict all of homeworlds history up until this point. The earth project was the start of Era two of course. Technology was being created faster then gems could keep up with them. Why there was a time that My Diamond asked where the-" "Wa̷r̴p̴ ̸d̷r̷i̴v̷e̷ ̵i̷g̴n̶i̵t̴i̴o̷n̴ ̷w̷a̵s̶.̶" I interrupted a smile on my lips, "Exactly! The Peridot on board didn't know whether to correct her or not!" Pearl just started laughing before continuing on pointing to the murals.

I blinked, before toning Pearl out and looking at the murals. What were we talking about again?

Lets just ignore that for now...

Depictions of various moments of gem history lined the walls, starting from the dawn of Era One with the, I suppose _not_ exaggerated height of White Diamond standing atop a ringed world.

Hope I never see her face to face ą̵͇͛̉g̴̩̽à̵͈͊i̴̘̒n̴̤͒.

The unification of the gem race under White led to the expansion of their empire to the stars. The creation of Yellow and Blue Diamonds were depicted rising from the ground, while overhead a pink comet flew.

Apparently shortly after there was a battle in the stars with giant hands and angular gem ships fighting against… Space squids?

Various alien races also defended their planets from the lithoid invaders to apparently no avail against the gems.

Yellow Diamond could shoot lightning from her fingertips apparently. With enough power to pierce large beasts, which given the Diamonds size in comparison to a normal gem is rather… insane to think there are creatures larger than themselves...

Blue Diamond however seemed to have the alien races bow to her. Conquest through indoctrination maybe?

However all these Murals of conquest and war came to a stop when Pink diamond emerged from the ground. She was depicted as being much shorter than the other diamonds. Only slightly taller than a Jasper.

I had to remind myself that she was Nine. Feet. Tall.

I know Rose is huge, but how tall are the rest of gemkind?

With Pink now being centerstage to the Murals, they began to depict balls and galas. Gems dancing before the large thrones of the diamonds.

Over the next few murals Pink grew in height, her murals looking more angular, a few oddly colored gems began to be depicted in the murals.

The final mural before the staircase was earth with a bright pink diamond emblazoned on it.  
  


I started to pay attention to Pearl when she halted at the foot of the stairs-

Wait, the stairs aren't there. 

"Isn't there a staircase here?" 

Pearl tilted her head to the side, "Well yes. But only a Diamond can use them. How do you know about them?"

I deadpanned towards her, "We were here before Pearl. The stairs were out." 

Pearl just looked at me confused, then blinked in recognition, then looked concerned. 

"Wait. Did you seriously forget? Like… you aren't just joshing me?" 

Pearl turned around and walked through the location the stairs were supposed to be. I followed after to keep up.

"Pearl?" 

And now she is muttering to herself, that's normal. She opened up a side door that revealed to be an opening to the outside of the tower.

I almost lunged forward to grab her before stairs began to slide out from the tower's walls leading up.

That's actually pretty cool. I took a step out onto the staircase expecting to feel the ocean breeze, but nothing. 

Neat. What's not neat, is Pearl stalking up the stairs holding her forehead and talking to herself.  
  


Remembering the whole palaqeen fiasco-

"Pearl? Talk to me. Ple-"

She snapped her head towards me, "What Pink!? Can't you see what's happened!?" 

Uh, "No. That's what I'm trying to find out." 

"I did something… bad. But i don't know what! My Rose of course had too- so that's fine, but- I shouldn't- Then-'' Pearl just continued freaking out devolving back into barely coherent mumbles stomping up the stairs. I could see the back of her neck start to form cracks along her lightform. 

Holy Stars above mom. What the heck- 

If trying to calm her down only leads to this, I'll just let her burn herself out…

The staircase eventually ended a few stories up the tower before Pearl slammed her hand onto the panel then stopped when the door opened.

I stood a few steps below her waiting as she stood there staring at her hand. Before she stood back at attention and walked inside.

I… hope she's fine?

When I walked through the door I heard the stairs slide back into place and the doorway shut back into the wall. 

Pearl looked towards me back to being all smiles, if you ignored the way her lip twitched and the faint cracks on her form near her gem.

"Let's not tell Rose about this okay, Steven? A good Pearl doesnt punch things." I just nodded and Pearl clapped her hands, "Now only a few more levels until we are at the Lunar Goddess terminal and we can search for the information you need and I can get back to what My Diamond assigned me."

"Right…" lets… get her mind off Rose for now… "So what's around here?" 

The murals from the floors below were replaced with statues of various gems each posed in various salutes with screens in front of them… It was a museum wasn’t it?

"Before you is the 'Hall of the Perfect Cuts!' The finest gems of all types, and their deeds forever immortalized in all of gem history!" Her tone was that of a star struck teen. 

Her mood swings were getting worrying. But at least she was happy right now. 

I toned out her talking about the various gems as we walked through the hall until I spotted a figure as tall as Rose with a square gem on her chest. In her hand was a white pyramid I swore looked familiar but I couldn’t remember where I had seen it. “Who’s that one Pearl?” 

Pearl looked over to who I pointed towards and read the panel before replying, “This. Is Prism-Bearer Hessonite. The high honor of being a holder of a Prism, she is one of the highest ranking commanders of Homeworld’s forces and was put in charge of Earth’s forces by White Diamond.” 

Pearl nodded to herself, before turning towards me, “She was rather… pompous, but you can’t argue with her efficiency. If she wasn’t one of the best she wouldn’t have been given a prism, let alone be one of the heads of the military.”

I hummed to myself, motioning for Pearl to go on while we walked, “And what is a prism? I’m guessing it was what that statue was holding?” 

Pearl gave a noise of confirmation before stating, “Light Prism’s are one of the rarest type of gems created from White Diamond’s essence. They are given to especially outstanding high ranking gems and have the capabilities to create light constructs out of all visible lights. However they only are able to if a particularly powerful gem holds them… Most Prism’s only reacted when an Emerald or Diamond used them. Which is what makes Hessonite rather special and worthy of recognition.”

I nodded along, but couldn’t help but start to tone Pearl out again as she began to drone on about other ‘noteworthy’ gems. Apparently a Jasper that took down fifty enemies in a day was worthy of being declared a perfect cut. Which thinking about “perfect cuts” what makes them so special really?

They just did what they were told and supposed to do. Nothing special at all about them. Where is the individuality here? What makes them unique? A Jasper that fights, is just like all the other Jaspers that fight. W̴h̸e̴r̴e̶ ̶i̴s̷ ̸t̸h̶e̶ ̵J̶a̴s̷p̴e̵r̶ ̴t̴h̷a̵t̴ ̸b̶u̶i̷l̵d̸s̴?̷ Where is the Peridot that sings? W̵h̵e̴r̴e̷ ̶i̷s̷ ̸t̶h̷e̷ ̵L̴a̵p̷i̷s̵ ̸t̸h̸a̶t̵ ̷f̶o̴r̸g̷e̶s̷ ̴w̵e̵a̵p̶o̵n̵s̴?̵ W̸̟̒͋h̵͙̀e̵͙̚ṙ̶̬ë̵̱̥́ ̷̜̍̏į̷̞̆̆s̷̝̓͝ ̵̡̰̉͑t̷͖̟́ĥ̷̝̮e̵̳̾͗ ̶̨̓̑͜P̶͓̿͝ḛ̵͈͝a̷̞̩͋͝r̴͇̗l̵̘̪͂͗ ̸̺̐t̵̢̋͂h̴̙̄ạ̵̌t̸̛̠ ̶͔͐I̶͖̺͌ ̴̼͐l̴̠̖̓o̵̯͆̈́v̵͉ͅē̵̳?̷̨̮̎ 

We once again reached the next staircase and I took one last look at the last statue in the row. The gem's body was that of a ghost halloween costume. No arms, hollow eyes, and the only distinguishing feature being a tear shaped gem on its chest. S̵̺̎͆ͅh̶̩̗̕ê̴̖̯̄ ̸̪͌ț̴͔̂̔o̵̼̔̈́l̸͎̿͐d̴͎̳̉͝ ̵̼̇t̵̜͐ẖ̸̺e̷̪͂ ̴͙́b̴̳̋e̸̜̼͑͝s̷̖̅t̷̤͑ ̵̞̈́s̶̡̰̔t̶̠͂ò̴̤͍r̶̝̊͗ì̷͚͍e̷̢͌͜š̵̘̪.̷͎̫ I wonder faintly that all gems seemed to have a somewhat humanoid appearance... What made this one so unique? 

I shrugged and followed Pearl up the staircase leaving the Jeremejevite statue behind.

We walked up the staircase together in silence.

And more silence.

Just the tapping of our feet on the smooth floor.

"So Pearl… Do you like working with the other gems?" What can I say? I dislike awkward silence.

Pearl almost stumbled up the stairs surprised at my random question, “Oh… Well It is an honor to serve my Rose.”

That's a very basic response, “That's not what I asked though Pearl.”

“Then please elaborate.”

“I mean...are you happy Pearl? Just from talking with the other gems you always seem a little stressed.” Well. Purple just thinks you're annoying and wants you to stop trying to clear her room.

“I’m not sure I understand what you are talking about Steven.” 

Well maybe if you stopped acting like a robot- “Like… Cookie Cat.” I noticed the raised brow, “It's an Icecream that I love. Its soft and tasty and looks like a ca- Anyway! I've been eating it since I was little and when I take a bite out of it I always remember the good times with my dad.” 

I would always get one after we visited Rose and she brushed me off, or whenever Grandma Mayo would call me a leech on his life-

“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that it is something that at times brings a sweetness to wash away the bad feelings.” 

I finished strongly, I definitely explained that correctly. 

“I have no need to eat things.” Right. Thanks Pearl.

“Ok no. You don’t. However! Does being with the Crystal Gems bring you happiness like Cookie Cat Ice Cream brings me.”

“I’m not… sure?” Pearl responded confused, “Gems don’t… emote. As you humans do. We feel things differently.” 

“Oh?” First time I’m hearing this.

“It's not as if I can’t _feel_ happy. I just don't experience things like you do, nor do I have many experiences to shape my perception. I only just emerged not too long ago.”

I'm being confused a lot lately aren't I?

“Pearl I have known you personally for several months, and have seen you with my mother since I could even remember.” 

“Possibly. But I am not that Pearl.”

“Wait. What?”

“I’m saying that the Pearl you have interacted with, is not the Pearl you see in front of you. I am the same Pearl, but not the _same_ Pearl.”

Pearl stopped walking up the stairs and continued, “When gems of a low status such as myself misbehave or do something that is grounds for termination, our owners can instead choose to rejuvenate us. Removing all memories and resetting us back to our initial self. This process was pioneered by the diamonds when Pi-”

“Wait Wait wait. Owners? Rejuvenation? Didn’t you… Fight against all that?”

“Fight against it? Why? My Rose is perfect in every way. I'm sure I did _something_ to warrant it… I just wish I knew what it was… But It's better if I don't know. I am just a Pearl after all.”  
  


I couldn’t help but just stare. I knew about the castes from Lapis. Diamonds and their courts at the top, and everyone else below them in a pseudo military structure… but slaves? Wiping memories? What?

“Pearl- I… what… one moment." 

I just turned away to gather my thoughts

Holy sh- mom. What the heck. I knew you were a little crazy and messed up but-

No one should have to forget everything that makes them unique. 

I looked at Pearl who continued to stand there too straight, too proper, _too subservient-_

"It's one thing to serve someone because you're forced to. It's something else to serve someone because you respect, trust, even love them."

Pearl paused and seemed to look at me thoughtfully for a moment before continuing up the tower.

I followed after and just hoped she would think about that…

The silence stretched for the rest of the climb and we began to move down what I hopped to be one of the last floors…

Stars today has been just a huge dump of information hasn't it. I definitely have to talk to Lapis ab-

Dang I still got to get Lapis fixed! 

Internally screaming in frustration I broke the awkward silence again.

“Pearl you told me earlier about a map...”

“Oh yes. We are on our way to the Cartography room. Because this Spire was created to be the central hub of the colony many of the surveyor drones delivered information here before transmitting to the Lunar Spire. Lapis Lazulis were then informed of where to terraform next based on the information.”

“Um… Terraform?” As in destroying the entire ecosystem to make it livable for another species without care of the organisms and life that is still there?

“Oh yes, Lapis Lazuli's jobs are to clear an area of organic matter and level a location with the precise use of water, bring the minerals of the planet closer to the surface, and then cut open great ravines that are then used as the foundations of kindergartens. Lapis Lazuli’s are very important to the creation of the colony because of this.”

Pearl led me into a side room and leaving me stupified by the door she explored a large room full of what appeared to be many tablets on tables that lined the walls. 

Moments later she returned with a palm sized screen, “This is a surveyed map of the world as of the last update five thousand sixhundred years ago... we can however quickly update it should you like if we activate all of our surveyor drones.” she said as she pointed to what looked to be small disk-like objects. She tapped one and it floated and did a scan of the room then flew out the window. 

“And how long would that take?”

“With just one drone several weeks possibly 2-5 months if we activate every drone possibly a few days.”

Well alright that's all well and good I suppose. I clicked the small circle at the bottom of the screen and it revealed a spinning globe with dots all over… hieroglyphics scrolled along the sides and the bottom of the screen.

“So… Pearl. How do you even read these things?” I looked up to Pearl who was reading some tablets, her eyes scanning the gem language and growing distressed. “Pearl?” I called out to her again, and she turned towards me, her eyes once again distant stress visible on her face- I looked away to the tablet.

I wish I could help her, but...

Without looking up from the map I asked Pearl, “So… How exactly do I use this with the warp?” 

She stepped over to me, her footsteps clicking against the ground. From my peripheral vision I saw her cracked lightform reach for my tablet and flinched.

I felt a pull from my navel and-

S̴o̶m̴e̵t̴h̸i̵n̵g̴ ̸i̸n̶s̴i̵d̷e̶ ̸m̸e̶ ̴t̷i̸r̸e̴d̷ ̶a̵s̵ ̶s̵h̶e̷ ̵g̵r̴a̸b̷b̷e̸d̸ ̵t̷h̸e̶ ̷t̷a̸b̵l̵e̵t̷ ̸f̴r̶o̷m̸ ̶m̵y̶ ̷h̶a̵n̴d̸s̸ ̵a̵n̷d̸ ̶I̷ ̴b̷l̶i̷n̸k̴e̸d̵ ̷l̶o̴o̴k̴i̶n̷g̶ ̴d̷o̶w̵n̴ ̴a̷t̷ ̶P̵e̸a̷r̴l̴.̴ ̶

̵P̸e̶a̶r̴l̶ ̵s̸t̸e̷p̴p̷e̶d̷ ̷b̷a̴c̸k̸w̸a̴r̵d̸s̸ ̶r̶e̶a̵d̶i̵n̴g̷ ̵f̸r̵o̴m̵ ̵t̸h̴e̵ ̸t̶a̵b̸l̸e̴t̴ ̷i̵n̷ ̸h̷e̷r̴ ̷h̵a̸n̷d̵ ̴h̶e̸r̴ ̵f̸a̴c̴e̷ ̷s̷c̷r̶u̶n̶c̸h̵e̸d̷ ̶u̵p̴ ̷i̶n̶ ̶c̴o̴n̴c̶e̴n̵t̴r̵a̶t̷i̸o̴n̶,̴ ̸b̸e̷f̸o̵r̶e̸ ̵s̵h̵e̸ ̸b̵l̶i̸n̶k̵e̴d̸ ̵a̵n̷d̴ ̵l̴o̸o̷k̶e̷d̷ ̵u̷p̶ ̷a̷ ̴b̶l̶u̷e̵ ̶b̶l̴u̸s̵h̶ ̵a̸c̷r̸o̶s̴s̸ ̶h̴e̴r̶ ̵c̴h̴e̶e̶k̷s̵.̸

̷T̸h̴e̸ ̵c̸r̵a̵c̷k̵s̴ ̷a̵r̸e̷ ̴g̶o̵n̴e̵.̸ ̵T̴h̷e̶ ̵r̶o̵o̸m̸ ̴i̴s̴…̵ ̴c̷l̵e̸a̴n̶?̶

̶I̷ ̴l̴o̸o̸k̷e̵d̸ ̵a̷r̸o̷u̵n̷d̶ ̵t̶h̷e̶ ̵r̶o̵o̶m̸ ̴a̷n̵d̴ ̷f̶e̶l̷t̴ ̷s̵m̴a̵l̶l̷e̸r̵,̴ ̵b̵u̷t̶ ̶c̸l̶e̵a̶n̶.̴ ̵T̸h̸e̶ ̴S̸p̷i̵r̷e̷ ̷w̷o̴r̴k̵s̵ ̷f̸a̶s̵-̷ ̵

̶W̴h̷o̶ ̸i̷s̴ ̸t̶h̸a̵t̴ ̶c̵u̴t̸e̶ ̶l̶i̸t̵t̵l̸e̷ ̵c̸u̷p̶c̴a̷k̷e̶ ̶g̷i̶r̵l̸ ̶a̸n̶d̴ ̸w̷h̷y̷ ̴d̷o̴ ̶i̶ ̸t̴h̵i̴n̶k̷ ̴s̶h̵e̵ ̶i̶s̵ ̵a̵d̶o̴r̸a̸b̵l̵e̷…̸ ̶a̴n̵d̵ ̶i̵s̸ ̵t̸h̸a̸t̷ ̴a̴ ̵C̴a̶r̵t̷o̵o̵n̵?̵

̴D̴i̵d̷ ̵I̶ ̸f̶a̴i̴n̴t̸?̵

̶"̵H̴e̸y̴a̷ ̸P̷a̶d̷d̵y̵,̸ ̶w̸h̴y̶ ̷d̴o̵n̵'̴t̶ ̴c̴h̸a̴ ̵g̷o̴ ̷w̴i̶t̸h̵ ̵P̵i̶n̵k̴y̷?̷"̶

̶T̷h̷e̷ ̷P̵i̵n̸k̵ ̶S̷l̵e̷n̶d̶e̴r̴ ̴g̵i̶r̸l̸ ̵s̴t̶o̷o̴d̸ ̸o̶n̶ ̶h̴e̵r̴ ̴h̴e̴a̴d̶ ̸t̵a̵l̴k̶i̴n̷g̶ ̴t̷o̶…̸ ̴P̴a̷d̶d̶y̶?̴ ̷

̸“̸I̵'̶m̴ ̷h̴a̷v̵i̴n̸g̸ ̶a̵ ̵v̷i̶s̸i̷o̸n̵ ̷S̵p̸i̴n̶e̶l̵ ̴i̸s̴ ̶g̴o̷i̶n̵g̵ ̷t̶o̷ ̶a̸s̷k̴ ̶m̸e̴ ̵t̵o̶-̶ ̵O̵h̸!̵ ̶I̶ ̷w̷o̷u̶l̶d̴ ̶l̸o̴v̸e̴ ̸t̵o̶ ̷e̵s̷c̵o̶r̵t̴ ̴y̴o̶u̴ ̴M̴y̸ ̴Steven"̴

̸T̴h̷e̸ ̵g̸e̵n̴t̶l̴e̷ ̵s̶m̶i̴l̶e̷ ̶o̷n̷ ̴P̷e̴a̵r̵l̵'̶s̸ ̶f̸a̷c̴e̵ ̵s̶u̷d̸d̸e̵n̷l̷y̵ ̶b̵r̴o̴k̸e̶ ̷o̸u̷t̵ ̶i̷n̶t̶o̴ ̷g̸i̵g̸g̶l̵e̸s̴,̴ ̴m̷i̶r̶r̵o̸r̶i̴n̷g̸ ̷m̸y̴ ̴o̸w̶n̶,̴ ̶“̷O̶h̴ ̷y̶o̸u̷r̷ ̸v̴i̴s̵i̷o̸n̶s̵ ̵a̷r̸e̴ ̷s̶o̵ ̵d̵e̸l̸i̷g̴h̵t̸f̸u̷l̶,̶ ̴i̷s̸n̴’̵t̸ ̸t̸h̶a̸t̸ ̸r̵i̷g̵h̴t̸ ̷m̷y̴ ̸Steven?̸”̵ ̵

̶I̵ ̶t̶r̴i̴e̵d̸ ̷s̸p̸e̵a̸k̶i̸n̶g̷ ̶b̸u̴t̶ ̶s̶o̶m̵e̷t̸h̷i̷n̸g̶ ̶h̶e̶l̴d̸ ̷m̸e̴ ̴b̸a̷c̷k̷,̴ ̷m̵y̷ ̷t̸h̶r̸o̴a̴t̶ ̷t̶i̵g̸h̶t̴e̵n̸i̵n̷g̸ ̴b̴e̵f̴o̴r̶e̵ ̸I̵ ̸c̴o̷u̸l̷d̸ ̴v̷o̵i̸c̵e̴ ̷m̷y̵ ̶t̸h̴o̸u̸g̸h̷t̴s̶.̶

̴W̷h̶a̸t̷'̶s̸ ̴g̵o̴i̶n̷g̶ ̶o̷n̴?̵-̷

̷M̴y̴ ̴t̵h̵r̷o̷a̸t̵ ̸w̷a̵s̷ ̴c̶l̶e̸a̷r̵e̶d̴ ̷a̵n̸d̶ ̸P̸e̴a̴r̷l̶ ̶f̷r̴o̶z̷e̴ ̵f̶o̵r̴ ̵a̸ ̴m̶o̴m̶e̶n̴t̶ ̵b̸e̶f̶o̵r̸e̶ ̴t̷u̶r̴n̶i̵n̷g̴ ̷t̵o̷ ̷m̴e̴,̴ ̵“̷Y̶e̴s̵?̴”̴ ̸M̴y̴ ̸b̶o̷d̷y̴ ̷s̷m̷i̷l̷e̵d̸ ̸u̷n̶s̶u̵r̶e̵.̸

T̷h̷e̸n̷ ̶I̴ ̷h̷e̵a̴r̵d̸ ̸a̸ ̷v̵o̶i̶c̴e̸ ̸t̸h̶a̴t̷ ̷s̵c̶a̸r̶e̵d̴ ̸t̴h̴e̴ ̴s̶t̶a̶r̷s̶ ̴o̶u̷t̴ ̵o̴f̸ ̶m̷e̷.̶. "Pearl, are you okay?” 

My head snapped around and I spotted Rose standing in the doorway, she seemed to tower over me as she always did despite me somehow being taller than Pearl. The area around her seems to crack the floors and walls.

She turned towards me looking down her eyes piercing me from the shadows of her hair, "Steven? What are you doing here with Pearl?"

Rose and I both flinched back as a hardlight tablet cracked against the Quartz's face. The shards of the tablet glitching as they cracked against the floors and walls.

“Shut Up Rose! You always do this!" Pearl moved to a table and slammed her hand on something, the drones all at once blinked on and the silent room was filled with buzzing for a moment as all the drones flew out the window.

She turned her blank gaze back to Rose who had stood back up from the surprise tablet to the face… she didn't look pleased.

Great, I just thought about escaping this too.

"Pearl. You are having another episode again. You need to cal-" "I AM CALM!" I flinched at the shrill tone and watched as Rose slowly raised her hands as Pearl started flinching, snapping her eyes between me and Rose.

"You always do this! I remember now!" Her light form started to glitch, colors and shapes of outfits appearing and shifting, "You say you care, but you don't!" 

"Pearl. If you remember everything, then you need to calm down. Your Gem cannot handle-"

"C̶a̶n̴n̴o̸t̶ ̴h̶a̴n̷d̵l̵e̸ ̷w̷h̷a̵t̷!?! The memories of all the different lives I've had?! It'll take more than that to shatter m-"

Pearl froze up mid scream, her iris's shining pink, "You shattered her… you shattered our Diamond."

Rose stepped in front of me as Pearl grabbed her head, "We trus- I. Trusted. You." 

"Pearl I never meant to hur-" "Stop Lying to me!" Pearl glared at Rose and reached into her head pulling out a polearm. I wasn’t sure what was more disconcerting the fact she put her own hand in her gem or that she looked so unhinged as she brandished her weapon. 

Rose pushed me towards the door before pulling something small from her gem, "Please, don't make me do this again."

Something in the back of my head just said to run as a pink diamond tipped pole expanded from Rose’s hand. 

I stood by the door as Pearl twirled her weapon and Rose stood defensively between me and Pearl. I wasn’t sure how to handle that thought either it was almost as if she...cared. Rose glowed briefly as her dress morphed into a jumper with dark pink boots. 

“You dare to wear the colors of my Diamond! The one you shattered!”

“I can not change who I am Pearl!”

“But you did! You changed everything! You destroyed our universe, murdered countless gems, our Diamond, and are the reason thousands of rebels to your cause were shattered at the hands of the diamond court. Me… You are nothing but a Monster!” Pearl cried out and I could see her cracks spreading and glowing. She ran at Rose, slashing at her only for Rose to meet her swing. The force of the clash tossing Pearl onto her back. A beat passed before Pearl stood back up gasping even though she did not need any air. Just heaving in anger.

I could not see Rose's face but I could see how tense she also was. Her fists clenched the pole, which seemed to activate a blade- a scythe of pink, and there was an indescribable ripple over her skin like the tension of a spring ready to leap into action. I felt myself stepping backwards raising a shield e̸v̸e̵n̵ ̶t̷h̶o̸u̷g̶h̴ ̸i̶t̶ ̴w̸o̶u̵l̵d̸n̸'̸t̴ ̶h̴e̷l̵p̷.

I gulped before asking, “Rose-” “Go Steven!” she shouted, turning her head only slightly. I could see a faint pink liquid on her face. Was that tears?

“But…”

“Get out of here it's dangerous.” She stressed as she turned back to Pearl leaning forward slightly.

“She’s right Steven, get out of here we wouldn’t want you to ‘accidentally’ lose your mind. Rose always did love you _Humans_.” Pearl shifted her grip as she extended her spear out to skewer Rose. “That's not fair Pearl!” Pearl lunged forward at rose and the dance began. The two slashed and twirled around each other, both almost too fast for me to see. Pearl somehow anticipated each of Rose’s attacks before they came and pushed Rose back on the defense.

They moved closer to me and I just barely tumbled back to avoid the pink scythe from taking my head from my shoulders. 

They jumped back from each other as I stumbled out the room.

“Fair! You want to know what's not fair. Constantly second guessing who I am and What I know! You keep doing it to me! Every time I come back I am forced to _clean_ ! Answer questions for things you all should know! Meet with _Humans_ ! Dealing with an _overcooked runt_ who can’t learn **_anything_ **!” Pearl punctuating each point sentence with a stab towards Rose. Screaming in frustration when the Rose parried each attack.

“I care about you Pearl, it's for your own good!” It sounded like her voice was cracking- She really is crying isn’t she.

“You just want a pet!” Pearl jumped back raising her free hand to her gem and pulling out a second spear.  
  
“This is torture Rose! I would rather be shattered then be stuck like this!” She started throwing the spears wildly at Rose, drawing a new one before just throwing it at her. Rose twirling the Scythe around the blade seeming to phase through the objects but the staff of the weapon knocking them away.

“Rejuvenating over and over. It's a millennia of torment. Just. Let. Me. Go!” Pearl having seen her fountain of spears didn’t work ran forwards again grabbing two of them and slashing wildly at her.

Around the room the screens and tables took the brunt of her fury as Rose dodged and parried blows. I watched on from the hall; it was a horrifying and beautiful dance to the death. Rose dodging or blocking every blow that came her way. Pearls lightform continued to glitch, but she just kept going on her attack, seeming to just ignore the tears of rage pouring out of her eyes.

Rose didn’t seem willing to defend herself, only parrying and blocking, as the battle continued I saw Pearl continue to crack further and further. She was going to shatter if she wasnt poofed at this rate. “R̴o̸s̸e̷ ̴d̶o̷ ̷s̴o̷m̷e̵t̵h̵i̶n̶g̶!” Rose jolted slightly before instantly responding and went on the attack. 

I rushed forward into the room erecting a shield in front of Rose. Pearl's weapon hitting the shield and being knocked back, leaving an opening for Rose's attack. Roses Scythe cut through both the shield and Pearl poofing her. I dived forward catching her fragile Gem before it could fall to the floor in pieces. 

After a moment I stood up and turned to Rose who was shaking slightly, her eyes distant.

I looked down at Pearl's gem. All this is out of my depth, and I really need more information on all this before I pick sides here.

But what I do know is regardless of what happens with this whole mind wipe thing… R̵o̷s̸e̴ ̶w̸o̴n̸t̶ ̷s̴h̶a̴t̴t̶e̵r̵ ̵P̵e̴a̷r̷l̵.

I walked up to Rose. Getting her attention, her eyes focusing on me, giving me that distant stare she always did, “Steven.”

“Here.” I said handing Pearl to her and I watched as she smiled slightly reaching and taking my Pearl with care. She cradled her gem like an infant and for a moment I wondered if she ever held me like that. 

Deciding to cut that train of thought I asked.

“What did Pearl mean? Are you really wiping her memory- is that… common?”

“Steven you don’t understand. Pearl is unstable- She has to be protected. She's one of the last of us here on earth.”

“So why? Why are you wiping her mind? How is this really protecting her?”

“Pearls are… She fractures herself at the thought of our Diamond being shattered. But she would never understand the necessity of it. What they d-... Nevermind.”

“What? Tell me.” 

“Someday when you are older Steven maybe you will understand.”

“Understand what? Your not telling me anything!” I sighed at the look she was giving me. Like I'm demanding a raise in an allowance or something, “Look… Just tell me are you treating Pearl like a slave?”

“I am not using Pearl Steven. Pearl is my... friend. My job has and always will be to keep her and Earth Safe. I have my mission Steven- I must see it through. This will all make sense to you someday.”

I wasn’t sure it ever would, but whatever helps you sleep at night I guess. I turned around taking in the state of the room before grabbing a discarded tablet and tossing it into my bag, ignoring Rose’s look. Eventually Rose picked herself off the ground before motioning me out the room.

I noticed we were heading back the way we came, so I decided to try and get some information… even if it is Rose, “So… Mom?” Ugh, “Pearl promised to take me to the fountain. Can you please show me how to get there?”

I almost missed Rose’s eyes, glanced down to my gem and then back forward, “Are you hurt or damaged?”

“No but it could happen one day and it would be better if I can get there in case of an emergency.”

“Steven, you never want to use a warp when damaged. If you attempt to use the Warp when cracked your gem could send you anywhere the warp is connected to. It is safer to always travel with another gem in control.” She explained to me.

So that’s a no.

Most of our descent down the tower was quiet and she led me to the warp pad. When I finally stood on the Warp she activated it and we traveled through the light steam back to the temple at Beach City. 

I held my bag tightly throughout the warp, glancing to Rose who just stood there on the nonexistence ground.

Eventually we touched down and I attempted to rush- "Steven."

I froze feeling Rose's eyes on my back, "I know you learned a lot today. I just want you to realize that everything I do. I do for this planet. I do for your father, and I do for… you." 

I turned to her and saw she was holding onto her arm, looking away, and gritting her teeth. "There are things about Gems I know you can not understand even if I try to explain it…"

"You never even tried to explain anything… just-" I spotted Garnet in the corner with her arms crossed. She tilted her head to the door and not wanting to deal with Rose anymore I walked towards it.

"I'll see you at that dinner… and tell Pearl I'm sorry."

Garnet rested her hand on my shoulder as I met up with her and she led me away from the Temple, the sound of the warp activated as soon as we touched the sand outside. 

“Garnet…”

“Steven as she told you, one day you will understand everything. Today is just not that day.”

“But I messed everything up and did not even accomplish the one thing I wanted to do today.” I said looking to the ocean in frustration. I was such a failure.

“You are not a failure Steven and in my opinion you accomplished much more than you think you have. Take this map of the planet for instance.” Garnet plucked the pad from my backpack and started to tap it a bit. “You activated the drones that are now updating the map live charting several anomalous entities as we speak. This is an amazing feat Steven don’t sell yourself short.” Garnet said pointing to several red zones pinging on the map. 

“What good will a map do me right now though. I don’t even know how to use the warp and no one will teach me.”

“Well Rose had a point earlier Steven if you use the warp alone you are going to be thrown anywhere the warps connect. That is dangerous right now with you not having 100% control of your abilities and with your gem being… what it is. Just give it time. In the meantime I would say you have everything you need right here.” Garnet said, poking my cheek.

“You know that sage wisdom doesn’t work as well as you think it does.” I said with a blank look. 

“Steven, You will come to find that all gem’s have things unique about them. My ‘Sage wisdom’ was worth a shot. If you don’t want to follow my advice you could always kiss your problems better I hear that works for humans.” Garnet said with a smirk before walking away from me.

I groaned to myself before dropping myself onto the bench. If it wasn’t for that wink I would have thought I pissed her off with that remark. Me and my dumb mouth always getting me in trouble...

Today was a bust. Wake up, break the front door, bring Lapis on an adventure, avoid Rose, convince Pearl to rebel against mom, attempt to convince her to bring me to the fountain, but instead get dragged to the Lunar Sea Spire, only for Pearl to start having her PTSD flashbacks and almost get stabbed by Rose and Pearl multiple times and just barely escape. 

Oh I also found out gems can wipe each other's memories and "reset" them like robots.

That was fun, better not let Lapis anywhere near them.

Which actually explains why she was so against me bringing her to them.

I pulled Lapis out of my bag and she gave me no welcome.

Nice, silent treatment.

“I’m sorry Lapi. I know you wanted to go on the adventure with me not be carted around in a bag the whole time.” I flipped the mirror over and looked at the cracked gem. I licked my lips in frustration.

I need to get to that fountain that is the only way to help Lapis with the cracked gem problem. 

_You can always just kiss your problems away_

Wait.

I blinked as I remembered the cracked Pearl in my hand…

That I stuck in my mouth. And spat out a perfectly formed Pearl...

I mean the worst this could do was just make this awkward. 

I licked my lips again before I gave the gem a quick kiss. I watched the Cracks begin to glow. Garnet you must be a damn prophet! 

I started laughing as the gem began to fill in the cracks. I reached for the gem and almost began to pull it from the mirror before I stopped.

_Lapis Lazuli’s Terraform_

“Steven...what is happening!” Lapis’s voice was no longer synthesised- It was natural.

“I think I healed your gem. I'm going to pull you out of the mirror… But just… D̴o̴n̵'̷t̴ ̸t̴e̵r̸r̷a̵f̶o̴r̷m̴ ̸t̵h̴e̶ ̸p̴l̵a̶n̵e̴t̶ and h̵e̷l̵p̵ ̴m̴e̵ learn my gem powers!” My nail caught on the back of the teardrop and I started to dig my nail into the side and the tip cutting into my fingertips my blood began to coat the gem with my red lifes liquid. 

Biting my lip I dug my fingers deeper into the gem as I wrenched it away from the back of the mirror slashing my hand in the process. The gem flew away from me towards the ocean as it separated from the mirror. The mirror fell uselessly from my hand as I looked on in horror as the Gem became lost in the waves. 

"Did… I just do that."

I stared frozen out into the waves as my blood dripped to the sand. I just lost Lapis into the very ocean itself...

I rushed out into the water, splashing the salt water everywhere as I reached down fumbling trying to find the palm size gem.

Nothing. No matter where I felt or looked I couldn't find it.

I kneeled into the seawater, I could feel my tears of frustration begin to build.

Why can't anything just go right toda-

_ Camp Pining Hearts~ _

You have got to b- 

The music was playing from the waves. I could see a bright light to my right as Lapis' gem floated out of the water. 

The gem glowed bright, making me squint my eyes as the light flashed into several different forms, until it settled and a second flash of light had me shield my eyes. When I blinked the spots out of my eyes I spotted a blue girl on the beach looking away almost... dramatically.

There ‘Camp pining hearts' theme music seemed to play in the air from an unknown location as I slowly approached the blue scout.

“Lapis?” I called out to her.

When I was within arms reach she turned around with a wide grin, “Hey Steven! Let's go on a Pinning Adventure!”

This fucking bitch. 

* * *

**Authors note:**

* * *

  
  
Big notice: This chapter would have marked the beginning of the ‘Shattered Pink Bombastic New Year Special’ - Title pending. BUT I didn’t realize just how bad my immune system is and fell sick again. Thankfully I recovered but not rapid fire chapter releases are… less rapid fire as they should have been.

ALSO We are coming close to the End of “Season One: Jailbreak Stories”. We only have ‘at most’ 10 more chapters planned (maybe less if the “episodes” when we get to them are too short to really be “one episode”- and instead are added to the next one.) 

Then we are going on hiatus and swapping gears back to Danny Phantom: Half Dead.

The idea when we started this story was to finish one chapter of this story, then swap back and forth between the two, but we decided to instead do it in “seasons.” Once the “Season” is over we will swap back and forth. This isn’t marking the end of the story of course. One season does not make a “Series”. This is a cartoon, not an anime ;)

**Mark the Mark** : So yeah chapter notes… I gave some nods to the expanded lore of Steven universe that may or may not make its way into the story (it will- maybe). As well as hinting at possible changes to the history without giving too much away early.

Lapis is in a campers outfit. Why? She likes the show, and it looks like an awesome uniform.

**Artemis_HNR** : Wooo So we are close to finishing up our Season only a few more episodes to go. I know it is much shorter than Season 1 of the show but we are working more towards a more coherent story with a more mature Steven. I don’t know about all of you but Season one Steven was just a little too….Spongebob for my taste. 

We hope to get a few more chapters out in the next 2 weeks which we know is a lot on us but we want to use our time off wisely. Let us know what you think of our work it help motivate us. 

As a Christmas gift to the both of us Please Like (kudo), Comment, Subscribe, and hit that notification bell (button) so you never miss a update~

**MtM** : I hear comments are a great Christmas gift.


	8. Episode 7: The Lion of Crystal Maze

**Disclaimer:** yadda yadda don't own Steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

* * *

##  Episode 7: The Lion of Crystal Maze

* * *

Bringing Lapis home was rather… Interesting to say the least. 

It was late at night, the sun had already set, because of this her skin tone wasn’t as noticeable as it could have been given her pretty much human-like appearance. 

Dad who was sitting down watching TV had heard me come into the house and called me over to yell at me about the door when he noticed Lapis behind me. He  _ immediately _ assumed I was bringing a girl home and started talking about how proud he was that I was growing up so fast and how cute a couple we were. Lapis didn’t help. She instead decided to take her Camp Pining Hearts to… Heart. And went into a long impassioned speech about how she reflected all the love I had for her like a mirror.

The trainwreck that was this meeting turned my brain off and I could only stare in shock speechless.

He was so impressed by the  _ love _ she had for me he gave his blessing right then and there, let me off the hook for breaking the door, and sent us both to my room to hang out for a bit before she had to leave. 

Then he noticed the Lapis Lazuli through the diamond-shaped hole in the back of her campers uniform… and her blue skin… and how her eyes were literal Mirrors.

She settled in nicely in the house after I told him this was the same Lapis Lazuli that has been living with us for weeks now.

Regardless. 

The past week since Lapis was free from the mirror was filled with lots of cartoon-esque shenanigans, such as teaching her what a male is, and why it wasn’t a Caste system like she assumed it was. Yes, people sometimes change their genders, and no I did not understand it. Why humans need to use the bathroom alone. How yes a  _ mother _ did sometimes help a smaller human in the bathroom but no she’s not my  _ mother _ and no I did not need help, please stop saying  _ My My  _ when you look at me. Why we eat more than just delicious hot  _ S'mores _ \- and no it was not called  _ S'moes _ . What a vegetable and fruit are and no I did not understand why a tomato is a fruit, why corn is a vegetable  _ and _ a grain, how avocados are called a vegetable but it's actually a berry, how green beans are called a vegetable but it's actually a fruit. I don’t  _ understand _ the food. I just put it in my mouth and eat it!!

While I'm glad Lapis is free. Sometimes I want to put her back into the mirror for my sanity alone.

No, I don't mean that, yes I'm just exaggerating. My point still stands!

ONCE AGAIN despite all that I have seen many strange things in my life. Women trapped in glass, a woman forms like a magical girl out of a Gem. I have seen giant tentacle monsters travel through space and time through Wibbly wobbly timey wimey bullshit. Giant crystal eyes shooting lasers at me. I have magical pinky powers. I have seen so many strange things. But this… This might take the cake. 

“What in the ever-loving camper adventure strawberry crap am I even looking at.”

“It's Pyramid Steven! Even I know that.” Lapis commented looking at the building in front of me.

Did Lapis slip me something this morning? Have the Edibles kicked in? Because honestly, I can’t fathom what I am looking at. 

“Lapis. It is defying the laws of physics because it's _ upside down _ . This is going against Newtonian Mechanics! The slightest breeze should have knocked it down onto one of its faces.”

“Stop being so serious Steven loosen up.”

“Loosen up? This has to be a trap!” I looked up at the building and jumped back another thirty feet to be outside of the crushing distance of the side of the pyramid. Yes, I can jump thirty feet now.

“Look, Steven, I’ll prove to you that is safe.” Lapis walked up to the side of the pyramid and knocked on the side. She even leaned on the side to push, she brought out her water wings to try and knock it over. The building did not budge. 

Maybe it's anchored down at the bottom of this is only the top layer of a deeper building design.

I quickly ran to the door and looked at a pyramid-shaped hole. The door had no pad or usual opening I’ve seen with the other gems. 

“Huh looks like we need a key.” Lapis said tilting her head to the left and right.

“Well, we don’t have one. Why don’t we just grab a giant berry and head home? I don't know why but this place just makes me uncomfortable.”

“It's your gem reacting to the remnant Gem radiation, I feel it too. This is a place of mourning.” Lapis said stoically.

“Mourning? Wait Radiation?!"

“This is one of the many battlefields where homeworld and the rebellion fought one another.” Lapis said turning from the Pyramid and looking out at the strawberry fields. "When a Gem is shattered anything stored inside is expelled out from it. Usually just energy." 

Lapis just made a sour face as she scanned the fields. "Your planet seems to just have eaten all that up."

Scary thoughts came to mind about radioactive plants, realizing I should probably not bring these strawberries home, and I really should shower…

Bottling that up now. 

Lapis is sad! Let's focus on that!

“You know you have been out of the Mirror for about a week now and you never really told me about what got you put in the mirror.” I said trying to brush off thoughts of a slow painful Chernobylesque death.

“Well, Steven it’s not that important.” Lapis said, trying to brush my question aside as we walked away from the pyramid and started walking through the field. There were weapons strewn about everywhere and she started picking many out of the ground and flinging them into a pile of her making. 

“Lapis if it bothers you so much then it is important. Come on we shared a room for a while. Dad was surprised to have you out of the mirror, but your family now. We take care of each other.”

“Steven just let it go for now, please. I’m just… not ready to talk about it with you... and the setting isn’t even right. We are not on an emotionally revealing kayaking trip up the river, nor are we on top of a cabin in the woods looking at the stars.” Lapis raised her brow at me as she pulled a particularly large sword out of the ground and flew it over to her growing pile of weaponry. 

Her obsession with that show aside, “Why are you collecting weapons?”

“Steven for one we should never leave our tools lying around. Leaving these things out here is just going to remind us this is a battlefield. Just like when Jake left after season three of Campers River Love. When Gretchen kept seeing his things it just broke her heart. Everyone thought it was honoring his adventures when really all it was doing was hurting those who loved him most.” Lapis said, gripping her uniform at her chest. 

Overdramatics being ignored.

“So the weapons just bring you bad memories. We don’t have to come back here you know?” I said looking out at the field. The weapons went on for miles, nothing had ever been laid to rest for years. 

“And two we may one day need some of these weapons.” Lapis finished a matter of factly.

“Need them?” I asked looking at the growing pile 

“You saw the map, Steven. Those red marked areas have anomalous beings. The machine does not pick up organic life forms because otherwise, the whole map would be red. The map picks up things that may take a special team to take care of... ” Lapis lowered her voice while pulling the Tablet out of a bag I gave her.

“So you want us to take care of these Anomalies. Lapis we don’t even know what they are!”

“Oh, but we have to. For multiple reasons, the least pressing being that it'll make for great training on our gem abilities. I'm rusty from the mirror and your..." she leaned over me slightly tapping her chin, something I know she got from the show, "New at this." 

She pressed a few buttons and turned the tablet towards me, she trailed her finger over the screen as she talked, "See here- The drones have locked on their signatures and gathered information about them. There are some imperceptible beings flying all around some city near some large bodies of water. Larger Class 8 Anomalous beings are crowding around some old Gem structures. Gems themselves seem to be everywhere, some actually in the process of being attacked by other anomalies." Lapis tapped some more buttons and a feed from the drone opened showing a green centipede-like gem fighting a large purple-skinned four-armed… beast. Lapis shudder before closing the feed.

"This planet is infested with Anomalous entities like Bigfoot and whatever that thing was... Should homeworld ever return it's highly likely that they will come with armies to wipe everything out.” Lapis ended her statement with a punch to a nearby overgrown strawberry, "Boom! No more Earth." Strawberry juice gushed everywhere coating my face and her left side. 

Oh god, now I'm radiated. This is how I die. Coated in delicious strawberry juice that will slowly kill me from the inside out. Goodbye, cruel world. Hello, cancer and tumors and hair loss. Eh well, I am half-gem. Maybe I’ll survive.

Wow, this strawberry is delicious.

Despite the gravity of what she just said, and ignorant of the danger she just subjected me to, Lapis showed no real emotion on her face continuing to look around the area. "We won't be safe of course unless we prove ourselves useful and clear out the anomalies before that happens."

I wiped the juice off my face and licked my hand a few times before whatever juice was left flew off my body and then flew through the air like a pink water balloon off into the distance. I looked at Lapis to see her clean as can be.

"We don't need to prove ourselves to anyone but ourselves Lapis… But if you think dealing with them will help train us for when homeworld returns then I'm all for it."

"Oh  _ really _ ?”

I did not like the way she said that. Or her smile. 

Why-HOW was she picking up that axe? It's taller than Garnet and Rose combined! Oh god, what is she doing!

“Lapis...Lapi...What are you doing?!”

I watched Lapis heft the much too large Axe over her shoulder before she swiftly flew at the Pyramid and started spinning the Axe around her body gaining momentum before she released it at the door. I watched the axe crash through the previously locked door and Lapis turned and smiled at me. 

“Time to go on that adventure Steven.”

Oh, dear. I released a sociopathic blue monster, with a love for cheesy eighties sitcoms.

I waited a few moments as Lapis walked towards the door, waiting for the pyramid to fall over. “Well, you coming?” 

This is my life now, isn’t it? 

With a sigh, I rushed forward to catch up with the camper. Lapis took a moment to grab the axe and toss it back the way we came. The ground trembling slightly from the axe crashing into the pile…

Seriously how strong are gems? I know I can lift dad’s van if I tried, but I still have to  _ try _ you know…

Shaking that thought away I trailed behind Lapis as we walked up a few steps into a deceptively large room.

How in the world is there a room this large when we only walked up maybe five steps into the  _ point of a pyramid. _

Homeworld tech is ridiculously advanced. I looked around the room, the light from the doorway barely reached here, but it didn’t have to. The large oval-shaped room has some kind of light to it, faintly outlining the murals along the walls and ceiling. 

“Kinda creepy. I love it.” Sure you do Lapi.

She walked around the room with her hands in her pockets before deciding to just lean against the wall as I took in the place. The walls featured what looked to be  _ Gems  _ With spikes over their heads. Some standing on floating platforms with water below them, or diving headfirst into it.

The ceiling depicted White Diamond shining her light while many hands grasped up to her. A mural of what looked to be Rose Quartz with her sword out in front of her pointing at what looked to be Pink Diamond who had her shield ready to protect herself. Around the two many generic gems stood in opposition of one another. Behind Pink and her shield were 3 unique gems one with hearts by her head a small orangish gem and Pearl. Three glittering Diamonds over it all.

“So… is this it?” The room was empty. Just murals. Lapis shrugged from her place, “Everything homeworld made when I was around served a purpose. Everyone and everything has a place in our society. I can’t imagine this building is just an empty place with some murals, but I don’t recall this being here when I came down to earth. So… It must be new. I mean look here.” Lapis pushed off the wall and pointed to the middle of the ceiling. 

A large triangle with three upside-down triangles inside of it. Each one of their points overlapping each other in the center.

“To have that symbol means this structure is either older than me, being created when there was only three diamond which it can’t be, look at the image of Rose Quartz the Traitor. Or  _ more likely _ this structure must have been made after Pink was shattered.” I just nodded along. I could see that being the case, however, I distinctly remember seeing four multicolored diamonds on that eye ship, however. Was it just old? That would explain that green gems bitching-

“So how do we find out what this was built for then?” “Heck if I know.” I blinked and looked at Lapis who didn’t look the least bit sheepish. “That's the point of an adventure Steven! Mystery!” She struck a pose, one arm in the air and the other thrown behind herself. Paulette’s pose. It looked ridiculous with her deadpan expression so I couldn’t help but chuckle.

There was a rumble and Lapis took a ready stance, her water wings forming a second set of arms. I looked around unable to see anything and just formed my crystal shield mimicking Lapi. 

Right behind us, a column rose from the ground with a floating upside-down pyramid… After it finished rising the shaking stopped and Lapis returned her water to her gem. She looked at me and back to the pyramid before striking her copied, Paulette pose again. “Mystery Solved!”

I decided to humor her, striking Percy’s pose, One arm over my forehead and the other straight in front with a thumbs up, “Good Job!”

I held it for only a second before turning off my shield and shoving both hands in the pockets of my jacket. “So what does this do?” She continued to hold her pose, “A New Mystery!” Then dropped it, “I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t know what this is. I know some ships have a hologram of itself that controls them, but those are generally used by the onboard A.I. or remote control. This is a building, so I have no idea why it would have something like this.”

“So… A.I.s are a thing in Gem space?” 

“Yes.” I clicked my tongue, “Neat.” Not that that helps us here.

I looked around to see if anything else changed. Nope. So I shrugged and poked the pyramid, Lapis reached out to stop me I think but was too slow. And then the rumble started again.

“Steven! You don’t just go touching random things in a cursed tomb!” “This isn’t a cursed tomb!” I looked at the pyramid that was flipping around widely in the air, I didn’t touch it that hard... 

Wait… why am I flo-

We both left the ground Lapis shot out her water wings to try and flap away but seemed unable to control herself and we flew into the now open ceiling…

“What in the-” “Adventure! Woo!” 

I screamed loudly as we  _ fell into the sky,  _ which overshadowed Lapis’ more excited cheers. The wind continued to brush past my face when the tube we were in seemed to shrink before widening the air turning and attempting to suck me into a connecting tube Lapis reaching for me before she was sucked into a different direction, her cheers turning into an angry shout and a faint “I’ll come back.” being the last thing I hear from her.

I looked around the tube as it gradually turned darker and darker, then…

Pink and Soft…

I pushed off the pink bed I found myself in and looked around. There was the long tube above me that seemed to stretch on farther than I can see. The massive bed I found myself in was huge, so large in fact It even had four posts with curtains. CURTAINS. The room had a white and pink color scheme with a desk, a mirror, and what looked to be a large wardrobe.

“... Mystery Solved?”

Dangit. Is Lapis brushing off on me now?

“Hello~!” I called out, only to hear an echo of myself from above… Just great. Then I heard something else. Static. From over… There!

The desk.

I crawled my way out of the gigantic bed and had to watch myself as I landed roughly on the ground below. The bed was obviously meant for an actual giant... stepping off onto the pristine white tiles… This room was built for some sort of giant gem I imagine, Maybe not one of the diamonds.

I walked over to the oversized desk and looked around for what was making the static noise. 

The desk was filled with random tablets and random gem symbols but I don't see- Ah.

There was some multi-colored box thing that was half turned, along with several crudely drawn images of Various gems on tablets.

I picked it up and fixed it so the colors lined up, it would give me a migraine otherwise- why is the static getting louder? 

I tried turning the cube the other way, but it just started fighting me trying to open- 

Shards what did I do now?! First reversing gravity now- 

Why is it blue- Is it going to explode?!

The tablet cube expanded above the desk and I ducked underneath to protect myself-

“... this is Blue Diamond’s Control room.” a soft voice echoed in the room, with faint sounds of crying in the background.

Did- Did I seriously just use a Gem Phone?

“... Hello?” the soft voice called out- almost timidly. Before tapping was heard.

Like. A Rubix cube is a gem phone? Do you turn in other ways to call other people? Like- what!?

“Pearl?” The tapping stopped, “Yes My Diamond?” Pearl? Oh right.  _ ‘Millions of other gems just like me’  _ That's what Purple said before.

“Who is calling me?” “I am unsure My Diamond- The call is originating from an old model of a communicator. The video is not working.”

I peaked my head over the desk to see the screen hovering a foot above it. The contents of the screen showed who I assumed was the timid voice. She was looking to her left revealing her profile. She looked very lean with long thin arms, and has an oval-shaped head with a prominent and pointed nose, just like my Pearl. This one however has sky blue skin and messy, chin-length periwinkle hair. The upper portion of her face was covered with her bangs. Her outfit consists of a periwinkle bodysuit with an open diamond-shaped keyhole neckline, with a sheer, frost-blue, skirt. Her gemstone, a pale blue Pearl, was visible on her chest.

She’s cute.

She turned back to the screen and continued to type something on her end. “They are not talking, I assume the audio is damaged as well, so I am attempting to locate wher-...” She stopped typing and seemed to inhale as if surprised.

Wait… If she was trying to-

“My Diamond...It-...” The Pearl was shaking, mirroring my own.

How do I turn this off!? I started grabbing the corners trying to push them back together 

“Off! Off! Turn off!” I panicked tapping at the screen or various corners.

“Pearl I just heard someone! Tell me what you found out. Who called?” As if by magic the Pearl stood up straighter and with confidence replied, “The call originated from Earth. It is Pink’s old co-” The screen shook and what could only be described as the wail of a banshee echoed in the bed-chamber. For a second the shocked face of Blue Pearl- _ Bearl _ -with almost a waterfall of tears pouring from her eyes was on the screen before she poofed and a large hand grabbed the screen from the other end.

“Who  _ DARES _ ?” the Massive form of Blue Diamond enveloped the screen. Her large blue  _ diamond _ eyes piercing into view. 

I blinked taking in the image I was seeing… “You are one tall-” “I will find out who used her things and I will take great pleasure in shattering you!” 

The line went dead and the cube fell down onto the desk. “What in the world just- Wait. They know the call came from Earth… She said she would- Oh no.” I held the cube for a moment unsure if I should twist it in another direction. I saw a few more displayed in front of me and decided it would probably be best to just loot the place. 

Adventure aside we may one day need something in here. I started to pack various screens and baubles into my bag and opened some drawers to see if there was much of anything I could use.

The ground started shaking. What-Now!?

One thing after another - after another!

Can’t I just have one momen-

I instinctively formed a bubble around myself as my vision was bathed in white.

An echo of sound enveloped me as I flew through the air, the light blinding me as I took in the field of strawberries from above. All around me pieces of the pristine room and clumps of the pyramid fell up and down. In the distance I could see a small town- I’ll have to look up that later- and gravity took control of the bubble.

If the bubble can survive being a flail and pinball machine I’m confident I won’t break anything from the fall...

Water wrapped around the bubble a few feet from the ground and I jolted from the lost momentum, as Lapis set the bubble down gently her look of panic shifted to one of joy as she wrapped me around in a hug.

“I looked all over for you!- The Room just kept repeating and repeating, Ceilings falling down with spikes to shatter me, Lava floors, Flood rooms, ice beams, Lasers, even rolling boulders! Ugh! It got so frustrating looking for you I just had to get out so I used the water from the flooded room to drill down and found the Albite that was powering everything and ripped it off the core.” 

She reached into the breast pocket of her uniform and fished out the fist-sized gem for me to see.

“Then the whole place just blew up. You should think taking out a battery wouldn’t do that, but what do I know about the new tech. Maybe it’s a safety feature… What’s wrong?” I just stared blankly at everything Lapis was saying.

I missed all that adventure, and just listened to a Pearl… Awesome.

I smiled brightly, Lapis returning the bright smile with one of her own, “So you had fun then Lapis?” She nodded, “Good! Let’s head back home, I need to talk to my therapist about near-death experiences tomorrow.”

Lapis cheered and walked over to the large pile of weapons,- “Leave the axe here unless you can store it in your gem!” “You’re no fun!”

How do I tell her that her old boss might be coming to earth soon?

We walked on out of the rubble of the field. Smoke still rising from the pieces of ‘Gem metal’ and craters of crushed foliage. Lapis decided to only bring a pair of short swords with us. 

As I pondered how to tell Lapis of the call without freaking her out about  _ proving ourselves to the Diamonds _ . I could feel as if there was someone watching us.

I looked around in concern as Lapis picked through the strawberry patch and selected a large Strawberry. 

“Lapis…. Doesn’t it feel like something is here?” I asked turning round and round to see if I missed something but the field is a sea of red green and pink with various weapons peppering the field in little splashes of color. This was a horrible place to deal with a ‘Where's the Danger?' game.

Lapis paused and looked around taking her weapons out at the ready bending her knees ready to spring to the left or right in a moment. 

“Steven don’t move.”

I froze as I suddenly started to hear rustles in the field. There was a large pink berry moving in our direction. 

Wait… that wasn’t a berry. It was a Lion. a Giant Pink probably radioactive Lion. 

“Oh look Steven a Cat!” Lapis smiled, lowering her weapons. 

“Not Good Not Good!” I shouted as I bolted leaving Lapis alone with the Lion. Kind of a Dick move but she can handle this. I on the other hand am soft and Fleshy and more than likely on the menu. 

“Steven?! Steven, it's just a Cat! It's not a bear! Stop running” She yelled following after the Lion

I ran through the field dodging weapons and strawberries. I crashed through a few drenching myself in strawberry pulp and juices. Great when the Lion Eats me I have been well seasoned!

I could feel the breath of the lion right behind me as I shielded myself the Lion flinging itself at my bubble. The force of the body crashing into the shield sent me flying. My bubble crashing along the field. I had to try to catch myself when I started careening down a steep hill. Vaguely in the distance, I saw a large barrier surrounding the field and a line I could only assume was a large fence. 

Great, confirm my fears about radiation.

What could only be described as a portal opened up in front of me and the lion leaped out towards me. Does everything Pink have Magical powers now!?

Lion hit my bubble back the way I came from. I tried to control my roll again but the lion kept swiping me left and right till I could honestly say I was going to puke. The more nauseous I became the harder it was for me to keep my bubble stable till finally it popped and I found myself sprawled out in a cool strawberry Accepting my imminent demise.

I looked up at the sky thinking this would be my last moment on earth Laying on a strawberry being a pink lion's desert. I watched the silhouette of the lion block out the light of the sun as it looked ominous down towards me. It opened its jaws, shining teeth glimmering in the light for just a moment as it leaned towards its prey. 

I tried to squirm and wiggle away only for a large paw to push down on my chest. I whimpered looking up Into the Jaws of the beast as it leaned close to my face then… A large tongue licked me. The Lion's foul-smelling drool licked up my nose and up across my forehead.

It must be tasting me before it decided to take a bite out of me. I lifted my arm to protect myself only for my whole arm to go in Lion's mouth. Oh god here it was I was going to lose an arm now. The lion's sandpaper tongue wrapped around my arm a few times before it nosed my arm away and over my head and it licked my side and up my pit and arm. I laughed in surprise as I went to sit up and it started to stuff at my neck and nudge me over and started to lick my side and back. 

Oh, stars. It was giving me a bath. The Lion was treating me like a cub. 

“Steven there you are!” I looked up to see Lapis flying low towards me. I went to go towards her only for the lion to throw a paw over my shoulder and pull me back as it licked the back of my neck and my hair. 

“ _ My My _ .” She covered her lips chuckling at me and the Lion.

“What?! No, Help me!” I shouted to her, reaching out an arm only to get growled at as the lion pushed me forward but kept a paw on my back as it started to lick lower. 

“Why? It's not doing anything?” Lapis laughed

Oh hell no I was not going to have a Lion licking me in my privates while Lapis stood by and laughed. 

“Lapis get all this strawberry juice off me so the lion will stop licking me!”

“Oh alright. Fine~!” She used her water powers to drench me again in cool clean water and strip away the juice before pulling it away from me. The lion started batting then licking at the water orb she held up to the side. With the lion distracted I crawled away quickly before getting my legs under me to move behind Lapis.

“Feeling better now?” She asked.

“You live for moments of schadenfreude don’t you.” I asked her with a glare.

“I haven’t the slightest idea about what you mean.” She smiled as she released control on the water orb and started to lead the two of us to the teleporter. 

As we started to walk away I heard a noise only to feel the lion nudging at my back. 

“No kitty go home.”

I started to walk away again only to have the lion grab the back of my jacket in its mouth 

“I think the Cat wants to come with us. Can we keep it?”

Can we keep it? Has this gem lost her damn mind? “No, we can’t keep it!” I shouted as I started to pull forward to get the lion to let go of my jacket. 

“No! Lion let go of my jacket right now!” I growled out. The Lion instantly releasing my jacket and I stumbled forward. O.K good it responds to commands.

Adjusting my jacket so it fit correctly I started to stomp away from it to the Teleporter. I stood on it waiting for Lapis to join me. I looked back to see Lapis giving the Lion some ear Scritches and calling him a ‘sweet little puddy tat’

“Lapis!”

“What Steven?! You named it! If you give it a name you are calling it yours that is Earth pet rules!” Lapis said continuing to pet the large beast like it was a simple house pet. 

I mean she has a point but still!

“Lapis I did not name it.”

“You called it Lion, you gave him a name. Isn't that right Lion?” She asked, getting in Lion's face and the Giant fluff bumped heads with her.

The lion looked up at Lapis and nodded and gave a snort as it followed us both onto the Teleporter. 

Oh no not happening. I put my hand up stopping the Lion before I pointed down to the ground. 

“No. Sit...Stay…” I said watching Lion intently as I pulled Lapis onto the warp pad 

“Beam us up Lapi.” I said straightening my back and crossing one arm over my chest

“Honestly Steven, we can take the cat home with us.”

“Oh, and how do you plan on explaining our new pet Lion to my dad Hmmm.”

“It followed us home?”

“No Lapi that would never work. The Lion stays and we go home. I need to take a hazmat shower as soon as possible. I can feel ulcers forming in my brain.”

Lapis beamed us up and we made it to the statue, Lapis jumping behind the couch swiftly hiding herself. I stepped around the place poking my head around to see if any of the gems were nearby. After a minute or so I waved Lapis over and we avoided the volunteer constructors outside. Once we cleared the crews we began making our way back home.

The beach itself was not overly busy, mostly a few beachcombers looking for buried treasure and an Indian girl leaning against a rock wall working on what appeared to be some kind of report from the various piles of books surrounding her. 

“You know Steven I am not sure I understand you.” Lapis commented, grabbing my attention as we continued off the beach. She furrowed her brow watching the various passing humans “I’m not sure I understand any of the humans either?”

“I’m not following Lapi.” 

“You don’t follow the human rules from my discoveries of human culture.” Lapis said looking me up and down. “You do not follow human clothing norms or Rituals. Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if you classify as a human or a Gem. You are this odd grey area. The diamonds would consider you malformed or Off Color.”

“Lapis you know I'm a Half-Human and Half Gem hybrid. I’m not one or the other I’m both. I’m working to embrace that. After all, I am unique.” I said feeling impassioned 

“Unique is just another word to make someone who is different or malformed feel good.” Lapis commented quoting, I assume, Donald from season 2 of CPH. 

I glanced at Ÿ̶̦́̽͂e̵̙͛̄͠l̵̩͎̅l̵̦͎̆̍̈́͝o̶̧̳̿̒͝ẅ̷̻̯̬́̇͜ and scowled, hearing B̴̰̰̽̀͝l̵͕̑̕ű̶̠̹̈́͝͝e̴̡̞̜̲̊ in the background chuckling, before looking forward, “Whatever.”

“You walked into it. Oh and also Lion is following us.” Lapis started calmly throwing a thumb over her shoulder.

“Haha very…” I started only for the lion to grab me by my jacket as Larz almost ran me over in a car, having sped past a stop sign.

"Watch where you're going you-" I scream out to him before shrugging my jacket out of Lion's mouth and pat its head.

"Thanks, I guess." 

“So Steven about keeping the Lion.” Lapis asked knowingly.

“He can stay but you have to tell dad.” I said as my heart calmed down and Lion let me lean on him to walk home. 

I just couldn’t anymore.

“Okay~.” Lapis sang as she followed us along. Several people spotted us from across the street or further ahead of us, either stopping to take pictures from afar or jaywalking to get away from us. 

Lapis didn't seem to notice or perhaps she just enjoyed the fear they gave us as she just smiled happily and waved to whoever left our path.

When we walked into the house I heard my dad in the living room. “Hey you two what's shaking?” he leaned over slightly to look at the door before going back to the tv.

“Mr. Universe, it is so nice to see you again. I hope you had a good day. Steven has a new pet and it followed us home.” Lapis spoke overly cheery, as I waited for the meltdown.

"...A new pet?" Greg stood up stretching before turning around instantly spotting Lion mid-yawn and froze. “...is that a pink lion?”

  
  
  


* * *

AN: And we did it we did it we did it hurray Lo hicimos! We did it! We got a whole other chapter out in 5 days! 

Artemis_HNR: Wooo! Ok so we got this chapter rolled out to you right quick. Introduction of Fully formed Lapis and her quirky new traits we have Lion and did anyone notice the new character on the Horizon? Who thinks they know where we are heading? Is their love Bobbing along the River? Will Steven and his mom reconcile their differences? Will Greg be able to handle his home becoming the wayward house of lost Gem things! What about Dr. Maheswaren and Stevens next therapy appointment?! Stay tuned for our next chapter coming soon….. sometime...someday….. 

Mark the Mark: don’t expect another chapter out this fast again. But Happy New Year, hope you all enjoy it! Its definitely not as long as the last chapter, but there was no reason to stretch it out, and we got to the perfect stopping point with Lion coming home with Steven. Next up-  **_Birthday Wishes._ **

To the guy asking about Connie.

She will come into the story when she becomes relevant  _ to _ the story. At the moment, because Steven is not… Spongebob she won’t really have time to shine, other than just being a friend, and Steven isn’t really that interested in human friends now that he has all this Gem stuff- which can you blame him?

Romance: Is also not really on his mind either, he might think some gems are cute or attractive, he is a teenage boy, but that doesn't mean he is looking to lock lips with anyone quickly.

  
When Romance happens, which it will happen, it will come naturally. More than likely over the course of  _ Seasons _ rather than  _ Episodes _ … More then likely… Maybe… Teenage boy after all.


End file.
